Questions on caste for the Census will be notified before the second phase: Home Ministry to Parliament
GS2Polity · Governance · IR· Vulnerable sections (SC/ST, minorities, disabled, elderly, children)· Prelims + Mains·
Why in news
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed that questions regarding caste will be included in the second phase of the 2027 Census following representations from various states.
Background
The 2027 Census will be conducted in two phases. The first phase questions have been notified, while the second phase, starting in February 2027, will focus on demographic and socioeconomic information including caste enumeration.
Facts for Prelims
- FactThe 2027 Census is scheduled to be conducted in two distinct phases.
- FactThe second phase of the census is scheduled to begin in February 2027.
- BodyThe Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is the nodal ministry for conducting the Census.
For Mains
Q. Discuss the significance of including caste data in the national census for the formulation of inclusive social justice policies in India.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Data-driven policy: Accurate caste enumeration as a basis for identifying and targeting beneficiaries of reservation and welfare schemes
- Federal friction: Balancing state-level demands for granular caste data with national data privacy and administrative feasibility
Keywords: Demographic enumeration · Social justice · Data-driven policy · Federalism · Inclusive growth
More Social Justice notes
- Why India needs political change to retain women in STEM · 11 February 2026
- Kerala launches ‘Rakshakavacham’ accident insurance scheme for private sector workers · 10 February 2026
- Survey identifies 23,395 former Devadasis in 15 districts of Karnataka · 10 February 2026
- Govt. spent ₹5,000 crore to strengthen public education sector: CM · 10 February 2026
- Telangana undertakes Health Facility Registry mapping to streamline digital health records · 10 February 2026
- Kerala to launch ‘Scholar Connect’ platform for diaspora academic engagement · 10 February 2026
Something wrong, or something missing?
Spotted a mistake in a note, or want a topic, format or PDF that would help your preparation? Write to us. We read every mail and fix errors fast.
This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.