Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced on Friday that the state’s Social and Educational Survey, popularly known as the "caste census", will be conducted from September 22 to October 7 at an estimated cost of ₹420 crore.
He said the survey would be carried out "scientifically" using a 60-question questionnaire. "To know the social and educational status of 7 crore people, a fresh survey is being conducted by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, headed by Chairperson Madhusudhan R Naik," Siddaramaiah told the media. "They have been asked to complete the survey and submit the report at the earliest. The commission has said they will submit it before December."
The Chief Minister noted that around 175,000 government school teachers would be deployed for the survey during the Dasara holidays. "This is the major cost component, amounting to around ₹325 crore," he said, adding that "overall, ₹420 crore has been allocated for the survey, and additional funds will be provided if needed." The government had previously spent ₹165.51 crore on a similar survey in 2015, which was later discarded.
On June 12, the Karnataka Cabinet approved the new survey, effectively nullifying the 2015 exercise. The decision was based on Section 11(1) of the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1995, which mandates a revision of the state's backward classes list every 10 years. The move followed a directive from Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, to conduct a fresh caste enumeration to address complaints from communities that had been excluded from the previous survey.
Several communities, most notably Karnataka’s two dominant groups—the Vokkaligas and the Veershaiva-Lingayats—had expressed strong reservations about the 2015 survey, labelling it "unscientific" and demanding a new count. There were also dissenting voices from within the ruling Congress party itself.
Also read: Why is BJP afraid of ballot paper: CM Siddaramaiah
Follow us
