Caste survey: Employees’ association writes to GBA chief, highlights lack of training, tech glitches

The Karnataka State Government Employees’ Association on Wednesday wrote to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Chief Commissioner highlighting issues in the ongoing Social and Educational Survey. The association said that the survey had been launched without adequate preparation and training, leading to continued confusion among enumerators, and requested the GBA to address these shortcomings.

Too many households

The association said that each surveyor had been assigned to cover more than 250 households in the survey period, far beyond the recommended limit of 150. They added that although Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had stated on October 7 that enumerators should survey 10 to 15 households per day, nodal officers were “pressuring” staff to exceed 20 households daily through SMS instructions.

The association also sought clarity on Aadhaar verification, suggesting that only one family member’s KYC-based OTP should be used to authenticate each household’s data. The letter also flagged technical issues in the mobile app used for the survey. 

Other key demands include exemption for employees with medical conditions, single parents caring for dependants, and treasury staff who have yet to receive their September salaries. The association also called for redeployment of staff working 40 to 50 km away from their homes to nearby areas within a 10 km radius.

For revisiting

The association recommended that enumerators be paid honorarium for revisiting households that initially refuse or remain unavailable to share information.

Citing safety concerns, the association further demanded protection for women enumerators working in high-rise buildings and sensitive areas, and requested that survey work not be made compulsory on public holidays.