Indian government unclear how to process 2027 census caste data
The Indian government hasn't yet figured out how it will sort and analyze caste data for the 2027 census.
For the first time since independence, people who are not from the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes can enter their caste names in an open column or pick "no-caste" instead of choosing from a set list.
While this sounds more flexible, experts, Opposition parties, and associations representing Other Backwards Classes worry it could get messy, like in 2011, when over 4.6 million different caste entries flooded in.
Census to tabulate 13 unapproved questions
With 13 new questions (think: family info and ID proofs), each division of the Census office would handle the tabulation process for the questions it is responsible for (none of which have been approved yet).
Scholar G.N. Devy has said the Office of the Census Commissioner should have ideally included experts in the discussions on finalizing the questions.
Fieldwork is already underway in places like Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh, so there is some real pressure on the government to sort things out fast.