Caste Census? What for?

by April 13, 2015 Deepa's Jottings, Governance

Today two young teachers who work at Indira Priyadarshini School in J P Nagar came over to conduct a caste census. Amongst other things, I was asked what caste I belong to, and what sub-sect of that caste I belong to!

I cannot understand either the reason or the goal of a caste census. We are officially supposed to have left caste behind several decades ago. So why is a caste census being done? 

There still is so much opacity about these enumerations undertaken by the Government, using public money.

If my mother was a Christian, and my father a Muslim, what caste would I give?

Today’s newspaper reports talk of delays in the census; no one talks of why this is needed at all. Could someone enlighten me?

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About Deepa Mohan

Deepa Mohan is a freelance writer and avid naturalist.
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