Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has announced plans to conduct a new social and educational survey—commonly referred to as a caste census—from September 22 to October 7, coinciding with the Dasara holidays. This follows the decision to nullify the earlier Kantharaj Commission’s 2015 survey, deemed outdated and controversial.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who chaired a high-level meeting on Wednesday, instructed the Backward Classes Commission, led by Madhusudan R Naik, to complete the survey and submit its report by October-end. The CM emphasized that this comprehensive data-gathering effort would serve as a foundation for the next state budget and help address caste-based inequality.
Siddaramaiah stressed the need to assess individuals’ economic status, including land ownership, to ensure a scientific and transparent process. He urged the commission to consult experts and finalize the questionnaire carefully—possibly going beyond the 54 questions used in 2015.
The state will deploy 1.65 lakh enumerators, including teachers and department officials, and will conduct the survey via a dedicated mobile app. A high-level oversight committee will monitor the process to ensure no citizen is left out.
The move aligns with the Congress’s Bengaluru Declaration, which called on the Centre to initiate a national caste census similar to Telangana’s model. Siddaramaiah directed officials to especially focus on Bengaluru, where previous survey responses were low.
The caste census remains politically sensitive, with dominant groups opposing it and backward classes supporting it as a tool for social justice.