The findings of Karnataka’s 2015 Social and Educational Survey (also known as the caste census) have reignited discussions across political and community lines. According to the data, the population of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Muslims in the state rose by over 90% since 1984, while the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community experienced only a modest increase, with their overall share falling from 17% in 1984 to 11% in 2015.
The original 1984 caste survey, led by the Venkataswamy Commission, placed Lingayats at the top, followed by SCs, Vokkaligas, Muslims, Kurubas, and Brahmins. The 2015 survey reordered the ranking — SCs became the largest group, followed by Muslims, with Lingayats now third.
Former Backward Classes Commission chairperson C.S. Dwarakanath attributed the decline in Lingayat numbers to identity shifts within the community. For better access to reservation benefits, many Lingayats reportedly identified as Hindu Sadar, Ganiga, or Madiwala, which fall under more favorable categories like 2A or 3B.
The 1984 report had also faced resistance and was shelved amid opposition from dominant communities like Lingayats and Vokkaligas. Similar tensions have emerged around the 2015 findings, with leaders from both communities questioning the accuracy of the numbers.
Congress ministers from these groups have called for the full report to be made public, with Industries Minister M.B. Patil and MLA Ravikumar Gowda defending their communities’ demographic strength.
Read also: