Short Description
Census 2021 faces uncertainty as budget allocation is slashed, raising questions about its future and implications for caste census discussions in India.
Read Time
3 minutes and 15 seconds
Main Article
The Census 2021 in India, which was initially slated to begin in April 2020, has been mired in uncertainty since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The recent budget allocation of apenas Rs 574 crore for the census in the 2025-26 fiscal year raises significant concerns regarding the continuation of this decennial exercise. This amount is a striking 50% reduction from the previous year’s budget of Rs 1,309.5 crore, posing serious questions about the commitment of the government to conduct a thorough and comprehensive census in the near future. As the foundation for various crucial national programs, the census impacts future delimitation exercises and the allocation of legislative representation.
Moreover, the discussions surrounding a potential caste census are complicating matters further. There is a growing demand from various social and political factions to incorporate caste as a field in the census questionnaire. However, the government’s hesitation on this front stems from a lack of clarity on a systematic methodology to accurately capture and report caste data. The necessity for deliberation among stakeholders about how to implement a caste census reflects deeper societal divisions that persist in India.
With the Census 2021 continuing to hang in the balance, it remains increasingly urgent for the government to address logistical challenges, engage diverse community voices, and finalize plans to resume the census. An accurate and timely census is essential not only for demographic insights but also for the effective implementation of government policies, including the much-debated one-third quota for women in various legislative bodies across the nation. If these discussions remain unresolved, India may continue to face significant delays in critical legislative reforms and sociopolitical representation driven by census data.
As the budget of the Ministry of Home Affairs increases to Rs 2.33 lakh crore for 2025-26—an 8.7% rise over the previous year—the allocation for police and law enforcement modernization reflects the government’s priority shifts. However, this shift raises concerns about the neglect of demographic data collection, which is equally vital for informed policy-making and resource distribution in the diverse Indian landscape.
Short Summary
The allocation cut for Census 2021 to Rs 574 crore raises significant concerns about India’s demographic data collection and legislative representation. The demand for a caste census adds to the complexity, necessitating thorough government engagement and resolution for effective policy-making and resource distribution in the future.
