Karnataka to skip 57 Christian sub-castes in caste survey

India Sep 21, 2025

Karnataka has decided not to list 57 Christian sub-castes in its big socio-educational survey happening from September 22 to October 7.
Instead, anyone from these groups will be counted under "others."
This move follows protests by SC/ST and OBC communities and pushback from the BJP.

Government's stance on controversy

Leaders worried that including these sub-castes could disrupt social harmony or complicate reservation policies.
Some felt it might even encourage conversions or blur caste lines.
The government says the survey is just about understanding people's backgrounds—not changing how reservations work.
Karnataka is also following Telangana's approach, aiming to keep things simple and avoid new caste categories while still collecting important data.