Barring STs, SCs, no caste Census since independence, says govt

The central government has not enumerated caste-wise populations other than Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the Census since independence, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said some political parties and a few organisations have requested to collect caste details in the forthcoming Census.

He said in the Census, the castes and tribes which are specifically notified as Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) as per the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, and the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, as amended from time to time, are enumerated. "The government of India has not enumerated caste-wise population other than SCs and STs in Census since independence," he said, replying to a written question.

In a separate reply on Jammu and Kashmir, Rai said, “No terrorist could infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir till June 30 this year while 14 terrorists entered the Union Territory in 2022. Rai said the approach adopted by the Government to tackle cross-border infiltration has ensured a perceptible decline in infiltration. There has been zero "net infiltration" into Jammu and Kashmir till June 30, 2023, 14 in 2022, 34 in 2021, 51 in 2020 and 141 in 2019, he said replying to a written question.