Vakulabharanam Krishna Mohan Rao lauds Centre’s decision on caste census

Caste enumeration is not merely a symbolic act but a vital tool for evidence-based policymaking, says the former chairman of the State Backward Classes Commission

Hyderabad: Former chairman of the State Backward Classes Commission Vakulabharanam Krishna Mohan Rao has lauded the Centre’s recent decision to include caste enumeration in the forthcoming national census.

Recalling earlier efforts, Rao said the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) of 2011 was conducted by the Ministries of Rural and Urban Development but failed to make the data fully public. “This time, for the first time in independent India, caste data will be officially collected by the Census Department itself. It marks a transparent, scientific, and historic step in the country’s democratic evolution,” he said.

He said caste enumeration was not merely a symbolic act but a vital tool for evidence-based policymaking. It would generate quantifiable and justifiable data to rationally support the enhancement of reservations for OBCs apart from guiding governments in designing targeted welfare schemes, allocating budgetary resources, and implementing inclusive programmes based on real demographic profiles.

“This move is a step toward social justice with scientific backing. Caste data must become the foundation for sustained, equitable development, not just a political exercise,” he said, also urging Centre to establish a dedicated Ministry for OBC Affairs.