Why is it in the News?

Recently, the Bihar government unveiled the outcomes of its caste survey within the state, revealing that the combined representation of Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) exceeds 63%.

Context:

• In a recent development, the Bihar government published the findings of its caste survey, indicating that the combined percentage of Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) surpasses 63%.
• This survey has sparked a nationwide discussion, emphasizing the need for a thorough examination of socio-economic data and a consideration of arguments both in support of and against a caste-based survey on a national scale.

What Does the Socio-Economic Data Reveal?

• Manifestation of Caste-Linked Deprivation in Indian Society: In rural areas during 2011-12, the average monthly per capita consumption expenditures (MPCE) for Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) households were 65%, 73%, and 84% respectively compared to the general category.
• Urban areas witnessed average MPCE for ST, SC, and OBC households at 68%, 63%, and 70% of the general category.
• Inequality Persists Across Caste Groups in Multidimensional Poverty Metrics:
• Multidimensional poverty estimates from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4/2015-16) highlight the enduring inequality across caste categories in India.
• Despite constituting around 73% of the population, STs, SCs, and OBCs collectively accounted for 84% of the country’s impoverished individuals.
• The OBC category alone comprised over 50% of India’s multidimensionally poor.
• According to the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), the combined share of STs, SCs, and OBCs in the country's poor rose from 77.6% in 2005-06 to nearly 84% in 2015-16.
• The Sachar Committee report (2006) estimated that 31% of Muslims were categorized as 'Below the Poverty Line.'
• These findings underscore the evident causal relationship between caste-based discrimination and exclusion, particularly affecting STs, SCs, and OBCs, as well as religion (particularly Muslims), and the prevalence of poverty and deprivation.

Education and Employment Dynamics Across Caste Groups:

• Educational Disparities Based on Caste: Significant educational disparities exist, with the general category boasting a notably higher percentage of literate, secondary and high school graduates, as well as those with undergraduate and postgraduate degrees compared to OBCs, SCs, and STs.
• According to the NSS 75th round (2017-18), the proportion of graduates is 12% in the general category, while it stands at 3% for STs, 4% for SCs, and 6% for OBCs.
• Postgraduate representation is over 3% in the general category, approximately 1% among OBCs, and less than 1% for both SCs and STs.
• Employment Landscape: Analyzing employment status based on PLFS 2021-22 data reveals that over 30% of the general category workforce holds regular jobs, contrasting with around 20% for OBCs and SCs, and just over 12% for STs.
• Conversely, nearly 29% of STs, 38% of SCs, and 20% of OBCs work as casual labourers, compared to only 11.2% in the general category.
• The informal sector is predominantly occupied by STs, SCs, and OBCs, while the general category has a disproportionately large presence in formal employment.
• The Central government, a major formal sector employer with over 18.78 lakh employees as of January 2021, sees 52.7% belonging to the general category.
• Within the most qualified and highest-paid employee groups (Group A), the general category constitutes over 64%.
• These findings underscore that despite the Mandal Commission recommendations being officially implemented three decades ago, the persistent caste-based educational inequalities continue to replicate a similar pattern in skilled, formal employment.

Historical Overview of Caste-Based Surveys:

• During the Pre-Independence Era: The British colonial administration introduced caste-wise enumeration of the population in 1881, a practice that persisted until the 1931 census.
• Post-Independence Surveys: Following independence, successive Indian governments refrained from conducting comprehensive caste enumeration due to concerns that it might reinforce caste divisions and perpetuate the caste system.
• Despite the absence of a caste census, official surveys and statistics have revealed the persistent existence and growth of the caste system in independent India, along with its associated discriminatory and exclusionary consequences.
• The Mandal Commission Report: In 1980, the Backward Classes Commission, chaired by B.P. Mandal, submitted a pivotal report to the President of India.
• The report began with the dictum, "There is equality only among equals. To equate unequal is to perpetuate inequality."
• Drawing on caste/community-wise population figures from the 1931 census, the Mandal Commission estimated that the combined population of Hindu and non-Hindu Other Backward Classes (OBCs) constituted 52% of India's population.
• The commission crucially concluded that caste should be considered a class of citizens.
• If an entire caste is socially and educationally backwards, reservation can be implemented in its favour, justifying it as a socially and educationally backward class of citizens under Article 15(4) of the Constitution.
• This article empowers the state to make special provisions for the advancement of socially and educationally backward classes of citizens.

Reservation in Public Services and Indra Sawhney Judgment:

• In 1990, the V.P. Singh government introduced a 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in public services.
• This decision faced legal scrutiny, leading to the landmark Indra Sawhney & others versus the Union of India judgment in 1992, where the Supreme Court validated the government's stance.
• The court made a noteworthy observation, stating that the identification of a group based on criteria other than caste, such as a combination of occupation, social status, education, and economic factors leading to caste, might not be deemed invalid.
• This crucial interpretation paved the way for the implementation of OBC reservations in both public employment and educational institutions across India.

Arguments Against a Nationwide Caste-Based Survey:

• Opposition to a comprehensive caste census has centred on the apprehension that unveiling the precise population proportions of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) at 52% or above could lead to calls for an expansion of the existing 27% reservation quota for OBCs.
• This concern gained traction with the initiation of demands following the enactment of the Constitutional (103rd Amendment) Act, 2019.
• This legislation introduced a 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) within the general category, impacting admissions to both public and private educational institutions and civil posts and services.
• Despite facing legal challenges due to breaching the 50% reservation ceiling, the law was ultimately upheld by a majority judgment of the Supreme Court in 2022.

The Path Forward:

• Comprehensive Caste Enumeration: Given the significant variation in OBC population estimates from different official sample surveys—ranging from 41% to 46% between 2015-16 and 2021-22—only a thorough caste enumeration can provide an accurate assessment.
• More crucially, identifying the numbers and proportions of individual castes within the OBC category is essential for implementing effective reservations and other benefits.
• For instance, the Bihar caste survey revealed that 122 smaller caste groups within the Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) category constituted 36% of the state's population, marking the largest share among social categories.
• Build on Justice Rohini Commission Report: The Justice Rohini Commission, formed in 2017 to scrutinize the sub-categorization of OBCs in the Central list, presented its findings in 2023.
• A nationwide socio-economic caste census is imperative to formulate scientific criteria for such sub-categorization.
• This is equally crucial for all states with their individual State-level OBC lists due to the diverse caste compositions.

Conclusion

Caste remains a significant issue in Indian society, acknowledged by a broad spectrum of thinkers, ideologies, and political parties, all advocating for the eradication of the caste system and its inequalities. Given this apparent societal concern, a nationwide caste survey emerges as the initial step towards investigating and addressing the complexities associated with caste-related issues.