The Congress party on Friday urged the central government to declare a definitive and transparent timeline for each phase of the proposed caste survey. Reaffirming its long-standing position, the party also reiterated its demand to lift the “arbitrary” 50% cap on reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
This call was issued through a resolution passed by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) during a meeting chaired by party president Mallikarjun Kharge. The meeting was attended by senior leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Jairam Ramesh, KC Venugopal, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
The CWC resolution highlighted that after over a decade of persistent opposition and denial, the Modi government has finally agreed to include caste-based population data collection in the upcoming census—something the Congress has long demanded. "For 11 years, the prime minister repeatedly criticized Congress leaders for proposing a caste census," the resolution stated.
However, the party pointed out that despite this shift, the government has not released any details about the survey's framework or made any financial provisions for its execution.
The resolution noted that Congress president Kharge had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 16, 2023, advocating for a comprehensive and up-to-date caste survey. Alongside this, Kharge and other party leaders have persistently pushed for the removal of the existing 50% reservation ceiling, which they argue lacks constitutional or scientific justification.
Rahul Gandhi was described in the resolution as the “strongest and most consistent voice” for a nationwide caste census. His emphasis on the issue dates back to the 2022 Nav Sankalp Shivir in Udaipur, where he underlined the necessity of caste-based data to ensure that government policies truly address the realities faced by marginalised communities.
The resolution further emphasized that the demand was central to the Congress manifestos for the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Rahul Gandhi has consistently raised the matter in Parliament, across the country, during both Bharat Jodo Yatras, and in public addresses, arguing that data is essential for deepening social justice.
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“Policies on reservation, welfare, and inclusion cannot rely on outdated assumptions or arbitrary caps—they must be evidence-based,” the resolution quoted him as saying.
Additionally, the Congress urged immediate enforcement of Article 15(5) of the Constitution, which allows for reservations in private educational institutions for OBCs, Dalits, and Adivasis. This demand was underscored as a key commitment in the party’s election manifesto and as a crucial step toward ensuring educational justice.
With private institutions playing a growing role in higher education, the Congress warned that the continued exclusion of disadvantaged communities from these spaces would only deepen existing inequalities.
“Article 15(5) is not merely a legal provision—it is a moral and social imperative,” the CWC stated, calling for equal access to quality education in both public and private institutions for OBCs, EBCs (Extremely Backward Classes), Dalits, and Adivasis.
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The CWC also pointed to Telangana’s model of conducting a caste survey as a benchmark for a transparent and inclusive process. In Telangana, the design and execution of the survey involved consultation with civil society, social scientists, and community leaders—offering a participatory alternative to a closed bureaucratic process.
The party urged the Centre to adopt a similarly open and consultative approach. “We stand ready to assist the government in crafting a credible, scientific, and participatory framework grounded in accountability and inclusivity,” the resolution said.
Stressing urgency, the Congress called on the government to act without delay. It demanded that all political parties be consulted, and Parliament be immediately engaged in a full debate on the issue.
The party also pressed the government to earmark funds and establish a step-by-step timeline for the entire process—beginning from the development of the questionnaire and methodology, through data collection and classification, to the eventual publication of the findings.
Congress emphasised that the process must be transparent and inclusive at every stage. The final data, it said, should serve as the foundation for a comprehensive reassessment of public policy, particularly in the areas of reservation, welfare schemes, education, and employment. A well-executed caste survey, the CWC concluded, would benefit all segments of Indian society by enabling more equitable and effective governance.
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