By The Hindu Bureau
Copyright thehindu
The Kerala government has not thought about conducting a comprehensive data collection exercise on the lines of the socio-economic caste census in order to determine the representation of various backward communities and other communities eligible for reservation in the economic, social or labour sectors in the State, Minister for SC/ST Development O.R. Kelu has said.
He was replying to a calling attention motion moved by P. Ubaidulla on the need for the State to conduct a Census-like exercise to determine the representation of various communities in the State’s socio-economic sectors in the Assembly on Thursday (September 18, 2025).
Mr. Kelu said that all backward communities as well as the economically backward sections in the forward communities in the State were currently enjoying the benefits of reservation.
Centre’s plans
He pointed out that the Centre had already announced its decision to include caste enumeration as a feature of the nation’s next population survey or the upcoming Census, rather than as a separate exercise. The primary goal is to gather comprehensive data on various castes, which is expected to help uncover caste-based socio-economic disparities, particularly among marginalised communities.
Moreover, several States have also expressed apprehensions about the expenditure that might have to be incurred if a separate caste enumeration survey were to be conducted.
Practical option
The State government has thus taken the decision that in the current circumstances, the most suitable and practical option would be to go along with the Centre’s decision to include caste enumeration as part of the upcoming Census.
Also, the representation of backward and reservation communities in government services and other quasi-government institutions in the State would be available through the e-Caste Database of Employees in Services Kerala (e-CDESK), a web-based application developed by the Kerala State Backward Classes Commission. The objective of e-CDESK is to collect data with respect to the representation of the caste and communities of Kerala in the services under the State as well as autonomous bodies, universities and public sector units, Mr. Kelu said.
