The methodology to be followed for caste enumeration in the forthcoming Census is yet to be finalised and the preparatory exercise for it will likely be done by July, government sources said.
Opposition parties such as the Congress and the Samajwadi Party have questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government, due to the absence of an expanded caste column in the questionnaire of the first phase of the Census, which was published last week. The parties asked whether the Centre really intended to hold a caste count during the Population Census 2027.
However, the final questionnaire for caste enumeration is likely to be known only in September, when Population Enumeration (PE), the second phase of Census 2027, kicks off in Ladakh and snow-bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, ahead of the rest of the country. Caste count in all other States will be held during the PE phase in February 2027.
This will be the 16th Census and the first in independent India to count all castes, other than Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), the government has said.
Unlike the 2011 Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC), which was done outside the purview of the Census, caste will be enumerated this time in the second and final phase, giving it statutory backing. The SECC enumerated more than 46 lakh castes while the total number of castes during the pre-Independence 1931 Census was 4,147.
This will also be the first time that Census data is captured digitally, on smartphones and mobile apps and the first time when citizens will be able to self-enumerate through a yet-to-be announced portal.
The Census will be done in two phases, with the Houselisting and Housing Census (HLO) to be held from April-September 2026 and the PE in February 2027. The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RG&CCI) notified 33 questions for the HLO phase on January 22. Question number 12 in the questionnaire was: “Whether the head of the household is Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe/Others.”
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that Question 12 does not explicitly involve Other Backward Classes (OBC) and General categories. “Since caste enumeration is to be part of Census 2027, Question 12 as formulated does raise serious questions on the Modi Government’s true intentions and on its commitment to a comprehensive, fair, nation-wide caste census,” Mr. Ramesh posted on X.
He said the Congress wanted the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government to immediately initiate a dialogue with political parties, State governments, and civil society organisations before finalising the details of the caste enumeration exercise.
“Such consultations were an integral part of the SEEEPC [Socio-Economic, Educational, Employment, Political, and Caste] Survey that was carried out by the Telangana Government in 2025 and which remains the most comprehensive and meaningful way to gather vital caste-wise information on education, employment, income, and political engagement – which are so very essential for ensuring greater economic and social justice,” Mr. Ramesh said.
The 2011 schedule or the questionnaire for the HLO phase also had the same question at serial number 15. The details of SC/ST column were filled in the second phase through the Centrally approved list. While the OBC list can be maintained both by State and Centre, SC/ST names are only maintained by Central government.
According to the latest government data, there are about 2,650 Other Backward Classes (OBC) in the Central list, 1,170 in the Scheduled Caste category and 890 communities in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list. Whether the “Other” column will have a merged Central and State OBC list or a list of unreserved categories of caste is yet to be decided.
In fact, the pre-test or the preparatory exercise of the Census, which was done from November 10-30, 2025 for the first time covered only the HLO or the first phase as the caste methodology is yet to be decided. In the past, the preparatory exercise covered both the phases simultaneously.
A State government official said that the pre-test for the PE phase will have to be completed by July as the snow-bound States are to complete both the phases in September.
On January 24, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav had also accused the government of dithering on caste census.
“There isn’t even a column for caste in the census notification—what will they count? A caste-based census is just another BJP gimmick. The BJP’s straightforward formula is: no counting, no demographic basis for proportional reservation or rights. Not conducting a caste-based census is a BJP conspiracy against PDA society,” he posted on X.
Published – January 26, 2026 11:13 pm IST
