(cache)Myth and Reality of the Caste-based Survey in Bihar

The release of the caste-wise survey data in Bihar has reignited the debate on the caste-based census and increased government job quotas, particularly for non-General categories through reservations. This resurgence has raised concerns regarding the inequitable distribution of resources, promoting political parties to advocate for proportional representation based on the population size of different castes/social categories. The analysis in this article, using caste-based survey data of Bihar, emphasises the need to address educational disparities and enhance the asset base instead of fixating solely on the politics of proportional share.

The authors sincerely acknowledge the constructive and useful comments of the anonymous reviewer, which enriched the discussion in this article.

In Bihar, the recognition of the crucial need for holistic development across all castes led the state government to embark on a comprehensive journey to collect caste-based information. This initiative gained significant traction in February 2019 when Bihar’s legislative bodies passed a resolution advocating for a caste-based census in 2021. Despite resolute support in 2020, the census decision faced delays; thus, in 2022, the state government decided to conduct an independent caste-based survey using the state’s resources. However, legal hurdles emerged, resulting in court cases and a subsequent delay in the survey’s completion. This situation eventually culminated in the release of the final report in October 2023. This exhaustive survey focused on certain pivotal aspects such as educational qualifications, employment patterns, residential status, technological and housing accessibility, vehicle ownership, and comprehensive income-wise household categorisation data. Nevertheless, the overarching aim of the caste-based survey is ostensibly to inform policies for the development of all religious and caste groups in Bihar.