Caste-Based Survey

Why in news?

The Patna high court has halted the ongoing caste-based survey in Bihar.

To channel welfare policies and implement schemes effectively.
Since Bihar’s coalition government comprises mainly Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and they have been undermined in the current reservation system.
Potential political benefits that would help identify the true population of the Bihar’s OBCs.
Even though UPA government in 2011 conducted a caste census it was not released due to various reasons.
Survey would facilitate in preparing state budget tailored for welfare of oppressed classes.

The court said that the state government had no power to conduct a census as it would infringe on the legislative powers of the parliament.
Difference between survey and census - Census is a collection of accurate facts and verifiable details.
Whereas a survey is intended at collection and analysis of opinions and perceptions of the general public, which may be aimed at a specific community.
So the present exercise by Bihar is a census done in the name of survey.
Right to privacy - Certain entries in the survey such as conditions of the labor work affects the right to privacy.
Data security - Certain entries in the survey contains birth and death which may lead to data security.
Principle of voluntary disclosure - Data should be entered only after each and every individual, who is a native of Bihar and not resident within the state, at the time of survey and not from the head of the family.

According to UDISE+ data OBC children comprise 45 per cent students in primary schools, SCs 19 % and STs 11 %.

The total number of households in the state are being counted in the first phase.
In the second phase the following data will be collected
- Castes, religions and economic backgrounds and
- The number of family members living in and outside the state.
The exercise covers an estimated population of 12.7 crore across 38 districts and will only enumerate caste and not sub-caste.

Caste census means inclusion of caste-wise tabulation of India’s population belonging to all castes, primarily the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and not just SCs and STs.
In 1952 census the first separate data on Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) was published.
The first caste census data was released in 1931.
The 2011 census even though had caste census the data was not released.

India runs the world’s largest affirmative welfare programme based on caste identity.
Reservation in educational institutes and government jobs are provided on the basis of caste identities.
The absence of fresh caste census data means that the caste estimates of 1931 are being projected for formulating welfare policies in 2021.
The highest reservation mandate for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) at 27 % is caste based as the BP Mandal Commission ascertained the backwardness of the class on the basis of caste.

A study of socio economic status of rural and urban households.
Allows ranking of households based on predefined parameters.
SECC 2011 was conducted by ministry of rural development.
This is the first time such a comprehensive exercise has been carried out for both rural and urban India.

Socio economic census	Caste census
Conducted across all the household without any special focus.	Conducted at a particular community.
SECC is a tool to identify beneficiaries of state support.	Caste census provides a portrait of certain caste population.
The data collected is not confidential and available the website.	The data collected is confidential
Conducted for the first time since 1931.	Conducted for the first time since 1931.

Article 162 provides that the executive power of a State shall extend to the matters with respect to which the Legislature of a State has power to make laws.
In the 1931 census, the population of OBCs was estimated to be 52 %.
According to SECC 2011
- Total Households in the Country (Rural plus Urban) is 24.49 Crore.
- Households considered for deprivation is 10.74 Crore.