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Thursday, November 7, 2024, 5:13 pm

Thursday, November 7, 2024, 5:13 pm

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A chance for equity through the census

A chance for equity through the census
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The government can keep an eye on and enhance affirmative action initiatives with the use of particular data

The Indian census will resume in 2025, with results anticipated by 2026, the Union government declared after a protracted delay. With this restoration, decadal censuses will once again be conducted; subsequent rounds are scheduled for 2035, 2045, and 2055. Originally planned for 2021 but postponed, supposedly because of COVID-19, the prolonged delay raised questions about whether the government was holding back on releasing new information about India’s changing socioeconomic conditions and demographics.

The census, which was last carried out in 2011, is essential for well-informed policy planning and goes well beyond a simple headcount. In a country as complicated and diverse as India, precise demographic information on poverty rates, literacy rates, age distribution, and household access to utilities like water, electricity, healthcare, and education is essential. Targeted programs and progress tracking are made possible by this data, which illuminates unresolved infrastructure deficiencies and economic situations. Without this information, strategies to reduce inequality and promote growth are still unfinished.

Furthermore, a better knowledge of India’s marginalized people depends on the census. The government can keep an eye on and enhance affirmative action initiatives with customized data on Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes. However, the issue of a thorough caste census still exists, particularly in light of opposition parties’ demands to include OBCs. The fair distribution of quota benefits across OBC groups must be examined using this data in order to prevent dominant castes from overshadowing smaller, underprivileged populations.

There are concerns that a caste census could widen social gaps. Caste, however, continues to play a significant role in both politics and government. Instead of avoiding the problem, India may alleviate inequality by confronting this fact through open data collecting. Even though the last caste census was carried out in the 1930s, its findings about socioeconomic division are still relevant today. In order to promote equality within communities and government initiatives, a new caste census may be essential.

Concerns regarding the potential effects of revised census data on political representation also exist.
Southern states that have embraced family planning fear that if constituency boundaries are changed in light of the updated population figures, they would lose members in Parliament.
States with strong birth rates, like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, may also acquire parliamentary influence in the meantime. In light of this situation, Article 82 of the Constitution, which protects the interests of states, could need to be strengthened in order to defend areas where population control was given priority. The census is ultimately crucial for gauging social and economic advancement. In order to create an inclusive future where policies are in line with the real needs of all citizens, its conclusions—including caste data—are essential.

Dr. Abhishek Verma

 


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