The central argument in favour of caste enumeration has a plausible ring to it. Given the strong, if complex, correlation between caste and socio-economic status, the exercise seems to offer the promise of yielding relevant data so that social and economic disparities can be more accurately targeted by policy. On closer analysis, the advantage turns out to be largely illusory. In fact, the political demand for reviving the colonial practice of caste enumeration — given up by independent India except for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes — has been driven less by ameliorative ideals than by expediency and self-serving, divisive political agendas. At best, fresh caste enumeration can provide only marginal benefits because, as sociologist Nandini Sundar points out, it holds out only an “illusory promise of formal employment.” The long-term societal benefits of reservation — in terms of making a constitutionally sanctioned statement against social inequality and actually providing educational and economic opportunity to historically and socially disadvantaged or oppressed communities — are there for everyone to see. But with the majority of India's workforce languishing in the informal sector and the state's role in providing jobs declining over the past two decades, it is clear that reservation is becoming less and less potent as a countervailing force.
But the objections to the Cabinet's nod for a “focussed,” standalone house-to-house caste headcount between June and September 2011 are not only political-ideological. They are also practical. As any modern sociologist knows, answers to the question, ‘What is your caste?' can be notoriously variable, subjective, and influenced by contingent factors. Caste has an elusive arithmetic in a country that is home to a staggering number of sub-castes, where caste names vary depending on context (for marriage or for religious rituals), and where the social implications of a caste tag vary from region to region. Any 21st century caste enumeration that relies on self-certification will face the same problem encountered by the colonial censuses — what legal scholar Marc Galanter describes as the “unseemly scramble to use census listings to…inflate numbers for political advantage.” But there is yet another objection, pressed in fact by progressive advocates of caste enumeration in the main census exercise: a standalone headcount of caste will be a “futile” exercise because it will be impossible to integrate it with “the socio-economic, educational and demographic data” gathered during the census headcount (see the statement published in Op-Ed). If such integration is ruled out by the subsequent standalone headcount, then why do it?
Keywords: caste census, Census 2011
Comments:
Census 2011 will prove to be a problematic one. First was the debate on whether to have census caste wise and later another to have it separately. A decision has been taken with rumblings continuing. It will be wise on the part of the government to issue a small pamphlet to the household explaining the procedures, rights and obligations, etc. Government should also give back to the household the copy of the format in which the answers on caste have been given by the citizen. These steps will in a large measure assure the people that what they say will not be diluted and recorded properly. For instance, there is an apprehension that with the basic objective of the government and bulk of the political class for classifying the myriad backward castes, the others –being referred to as forward castes, will be just confined to a category called “others”. If this happens, the utility for sociologists, planners and public administrators of census 2011 will not be optimum. Caste factor is a highly emotive issue in India and there are chances that people may not speak up at all. It may be also useful for the census managers to note what is happening in neighbouring China where also census 2011 will stat enumerating from 1 to 14 Nov. Their census authorities are apprehensive that people may not speak up on vital indicators, like income, ownership of houses and on the number of children they have. Their census is likely to cost as astronomically as ours, with some 8 billion yuan. For the outside world the current census of both these nations covering as it does over 2 billion people will have a great significance.
All families, except forward community families and certain families who do not know anything about benefits of reservation do already have caste certificates. There would be big confusion if the Govt. issues certificates on the basis of respondents' statement in census. Exercise in futility! The goal of caste-less society has to be forgotten, though the castes are naturally dying. The Govt. is confusing the issue.
If really the long-term benefits of reservation are to be seen, then the reservation has to be extended to the Private sector as it is the one which provides maximum number of jobs.Only then, there could be a logical conclusion for reservation system to provide good long-term empowerment at the ground level.
Reservation in higher education has no meaning if it does not lead to employment and thereby economic empowerment of the majority of the target group. The argument that Reservation creates divisions is a very shallow one in India---those who are sincere about friendship between all people will not and should not interfere with the process of Justice for historically depraved people.
In ancient India the caste system came into vogue when it was realised that there is merit in division of labour. The social organisation based on division of labour, called the caste system, worked very well through the ages.As there is rampant exploitation of the weak by the powerful even in the modern world,so there was such exploitation in the ancient system too. But the caste system optimised the productiviy of the society and it is ignorance of this fact that makes the modern world scoff at the caste system. It should not be forgotten that it was such a division which helped create the much-acclaimed capitalist system. Caste system may not be needed in the industrialised world; but let us not for that reason treat "caste" as a dirty word.
Caste-based census is a welcome move by government although it could have attached with census 2010. Additional census will require 2000-3000 crore rupees from tax payers money. It will give exact data of number of backward class people in country, which helps to decide percentage of reservation required for a particular caste.
There must be census based upon profession and income. What is common is that children of doctors, engineers and others who are financially forward but backward by caste , also take advantages of reservations. Problem is that people are assuming reservation as a fundamental right, which it is not.
We have already 50 % reservation for backward classes in education and govt. jobs.
But had it served the very purpose of giving reservation.? Instead of checking whether it actually benefited poor and deserved or not, govt. keep on finding shortcuts to gain votes through reservation.
I do not agree with the comments of Mr. Vijayakumar. Even though the caste system existed in the ancient period, they were based on the labour. But today caste is used as an tool for discrimination. I also do not understand the connection between capitalism and the caste system. Whether caste was created for good or bad reasons, it is not serving the purpose it was created for. It is used by the political parties to garner vote and by the dominant caste people to suppress the other caste people. Hence, it is better to abolish the caste system forever.
I don't favour caste based census as I feel it is divisive and would lead to discrimination and equality among the people. Rather the government should take adequate measures for the socio economic development and welfare of the people.
I appreciate the editorial for voicing the concern on the issue. I feel that the concept of democracy prevails only upto the point of selecting any particular party that will represent the nation but people have no control over the decisions that are taken during the tenure. Let there be a vote on how many people want caste census to take place and I am sure that people do not want it to take place. It is only being done to satisfy the illogical whims and fancies of politicians.
I request the government through this to not to conduct such an absurd practice whose results would further bifurcate the society.I cannot express in words that how worried I am if this exercise turns out unwell.
Thankyou
Sir,
In your editorial titled "Census and caste" you wrote "Census 2011 ... just cannot handle" caste data, and now in this piece you report that "a standalone headcount of caste will be a “futile” exercise". However, the hypocrisy is evident in your last remark, "why do it?"
Why consider OBC enumeration, and not census headcount, a revival of "the colonial practice"? Apart from the fact that some objective datum of OBCs are collected, does any one see any similarity in the exercises?
I have not seen even a single argument against the plausibility of OBC enumeration in print so far, except that of the emotional side of the exercise. OBC enumeration is similar to the enumeration of SC/STs and minorities and there is no reason to call it a "caste enumeration" for it is not an enumeration of caste in general. Perhaps the air can be cleared and clear arguments can be aired, if we just talk about the inclusion of "OBC enumeration in Census 2011".
When the teacher arrives for enumeration one gets a feeling that there is a governance and some one is including me as a part of all that. Really very gratifying. A teacher attracts respect and usually a welcome guest. I remember serving lassi or a fruit most times. In return the teacher has always a pleasing word for you. All this is so lovely, why not a second time?
Some people are singing praises to the Caste system and are talking about "ancient" system and are asking not to treat caste as a dirty word.
The matter of fact is that Casteism is the biggest racism in the universe and must not be seen in any other way.And Justice must be provided.
Even African-American's slavery of the past was "justified" by some by saying that it creates a good division of labour and increases productivity!
The reality at ground level is that Caste system has caused huge damage in every sense to the common people--it robbed their dignity(of women especially),it took away their economic rights, it created social stumbles everywhere and it condemned the affected people in every possible way.
Dear Sir
In India, it is fashionable for people (especially those with intellectual pretense) to drum up historical reasons for the genesis of the caste system. To equate caste system with division of labour is a willful ignorance of the reality. Even in the historical past, caste was nothing but a cruel and crude means used by the elites to facilitate perpetual subjugation of the so called low caste people. A child born in low caste simply had things stacked up against her /him and her /his future was predominantly & literally determined by the cot in which she / he was born.
Caste never played a constructive role in Indian society.
"ECONOMIC DOWNTRODDEN" is the only census we perhaps need in this country for improving the social structure. To do that, we perhaps don't need the elaborate "Caste" census which we all know will only be used, misused and abused by political parties to meet their selfish ends with least concern whatsoever of the repercussions for the social structure which they propose to improve.
At this point of time, it will also serve us right if we have the open minded evaluation of steps taken in the last 60 years of independent India to "uplift" the downtrodden. Have we at least moved inches in this direction? Cross our hearts and hope to die!
Though through most above comments it is clearly mentioned that caste is social creation for the advantage of one group of other , Still we have to look forward and think about it through individual perspective that what is relevance of caste system in contemporary scenario , we can compare it with science which include both boon and ban . SO we have to look for boon of caste system which is good for social structure and leave the ban part of it.
Caste as a feature of Indian society has sure moved away from system to structure and continues to as we are talking. After 60 odd years of independence punctuated with land reforms, reservations in educational institutions and government jobs, percolation of participatory democracy to rural India and rising caste consciousness in the political arena, i think, the state is either confident about its achievements in this area and is taking a chance to go public about it or trying to check itself and revisit its policies. Either ways it is worth it.