Census 2027: no decision yet on how open-field caste entries will be sorted
If every household writes its own caste name, how will the Census turn that into usable data?
Published 26 September 2026. Written by Pratidin from the reports linked at the end; every fact checked by a separate review before publishing. How we work
The Union government has not yet decided how caste data collected through an open field in Census 2027 will be sorted and tabulated, The Hindu reported. In the population enumeration phase, respondents who are not Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes will write their caste name freely, and can also choose a 'no caste' option. Officials said a proposal on classification will be prepared by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, go to the Union Home Secretary, and then be decided by the Ministry or the Union Cabinet.
Census 2027 is India's 16th Census and the eighth since Independence. Its reference date is 1 March 2027, and 1 October 2026 for the Union Territory of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where enumeration is already under way. The population enumeration schedule has about 40 questions, including caste. The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs approved caste enumeration on 30 April 2025, and the open-column method was tested in a pre-test from 6 to 20 July 2026 across 16 States and Union Territories.
The concern comes from the Socio-Economic and Caste Census of 2011, where free entries produced over 46 lakh distinct caste names because of spelling variations and regional differences, and the caste data was never released. Opposition parties and OBC groups fear a repeat, and scholars have said experts should have been consulted on the questions. The alternative, a fixed list like the one Bihar used in its 2022-23 caste survey, is easier to tabulate but may merge or miss groups. The last full caste count in a Census was in 1931.
Prelims facts
- The Census is conducted under the Census Act, 1948, and 'Census' is a Union subject (Entry 69 of the Union List).
- Every Census since 1951 has enumerated Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes; the 1931 Census was the last to count all castes.
- The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India functions under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
Quick recall
- What is the open-column method in Census 2027?
- Non-SC/ST respondents write their caste name freely instead of choosing from a list.
- Who drafts the plan to classify caste entries?
- The Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
- Who takes the final decision on tabulation?
- The Ministry or the Union Cabinet, after the Union Home Secretary.
- How many caste names did SECC 2011 produce?
- Over 46 lakh distinct names.
- When did the CCPA approve caste enumeration?
- 30 April 2025.
- What is the Census 2027 reference date?
- 1 March 2027; 1 October 2026 for snow-bound areas.
- When was the last full caste count in a Census?
- 1931.
- Under which law is the Census conducted?
- The Census Act, 1948.
Prelims practice question
Consider the following statements about Census 2027:
1. Its reference date is 1 March 2027 for all States and Union Territories.
2. Respondents who are not SC or ST can write their caste in an open field.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Answer: (b) 2 only. Snow-bound areas of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have a reference date of 1 October 2026, so statement 1 is wrong. Statement 2 describes the open-column method.
Use this in UPSC Mains: previous-year questions
Recurring theme: Caste as a changing social category and the data needed for social justice
- How to use this
Use it to argue that the uneven reach of affirmative action is partly a data problem, which Census 2027 caste data could address if classified credibly.
- Census 2027 will count all castes for the first time since 1931; SECC 2011 caste data, with over 46 lakh distinct names, was never released.
- Caste data can inform OBC sub-categorisation, the subject of the Rohini Commission under Article 340, and test the 50% ceiling set in Indra Sawhney (1992).
- Better data can improve targeting of welfare and the creamy layer, but matching names to differing Central and State OBC lists is a key hurdle.
Why is caste identity in India both fluid and static?
How to use thisUse the Census caste exercise to show caste as fluid in how it is named and claimed, yet static enough to be counted and administered by the state.
- Fluid: SECC 2011's free entries produced over 46 lakh distinct caste names through spelling and regional variation; the same group may carry different names across States.
- Fluid: Census 2027 lets non-SC/ST respondents write caste freely and offers a 'no caste' option.
- Static: every Census since 1951 has enumerated SCs and STs, and Census 2027 (reference date 1 March 2027) will count all castes for the first time since 1931.
- How to use this
Use the decision to count all castes again after 1931 as strong evidence that caste remains relevant to policy and politics.
- The CCPA approved caste enumeration on 30 April 2025; Census 2027 will be the first full caste count since 1931, with the open field tested in 16 States and UTs in July 2026.
- Opposition parties and OBC groups fear a repeat of SECC 2011, whose caste data was never released, showing how politically charged caste data remains.
- Bihar's 2022-23 caste survey, which used a fixed list, shows States too conducting their own caste counts.
- How to use this
Use it to show caste acquiring new forms as a category of data and political mobilisation, through enumeration and sub-categorisation demands.
- Census 2027's open-field caste entries will need mapping to Central and State OBC lists that differ from each other, and the classification method is still undecided.
- Caste data can inform OBC sub-categorisation (Rohini Commission, Article 340); Opposition parties and OBC groups fear a repeat of SECC 2011, whose caste data was never released.
Mains practice question
Census 2027 will enumerate caste for all communities for the first time since Independence. Discuss the methodological challenges in collecting and classifying caste data and their implications for social justice policy. (250 words)
Model answer
Census 2027 will record caste for all communities, the first such count since 1931. The government has chosen an open field for non-SC/ST respondents, but it has not yet decided how the entries will be classified, which makes method as important as the headcount.
Methodological challenges
- Naming chaos: SECC 2011 produced over 46 lakh caste names due to spelling and regional variation; its caste data was never released.
- Open field versus fixed list: an open field captures self-identification; a fixed list, as in Bihar's 2022-23 survey, is easier to tabulate but may merge or omit groups.
- Synonyms and sub-castes: the same group may carry different names across States, and one name may mean different groups.
- Mapping to categories: caste names must be matched with Central and State OBC lists that differ from each other.
- Opt-outs: a 'no caste' option and refusals will leave gaps.
Implications for social justice
- Data can inform OBC sub-categorisation, the subject of the Rohini Commission under Article 340.
- It will test the 50% ceiling set in Indra Sawhney (1992) with evidence of population shares.
- Targeting of welfare schemes and the creamy layer can improve.
- Poor data could fuel disputes, as the shelving of SECC data showed.
Way forward
- Publish the coding frame and dictionary of caste names before tabulation.
- Involve sociologists, anthropologists and State backward class commissions.
- Release anonymised data with clear quality notes.
- Protect confidentiality under the Census Act, 1948.
Counting caste is only useful if the classification is transparent and trusted. A clear, expert-led method decided before February 2027 will decide whether the data informs policy or becomes another shelved report.
The basics
Why this matters
For the first time since Independence, the Census will ask every Indian about caste, not just Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. But collecting answers is only half the job. The government must also decide how thousands of written names will be grouped into categories that can be counted and compared. That choice will shape reservation debates, welfare targeting and politics for a decade. The Hindu reports that this choice has not yet been made.
How the open field works
In the open-column method, a respondent who is not SC or ST states their caste in their own words, and the enumerator types it into the Census mobile app. The respondent may also say 'no caste'. SC and ST respondents continue to use existing community codes. Later, the Registrar General's office must match the free-text names to standard categories. That matching plan must be cleared by the Home Secretary and then by the Ministry or Cabinet.
- 1EnumerationNon-SC/ST respondent writes caste freely or chooses 'no caste'
- 2ProposalRegistrar General's office drafts a classification plan
- 3ReviewPlan goes to the Union Home Secretary
- 4DecisionMinistry or Union Cabinet approves how data is sorted
- 5TabulationCoded caste tables are produced and released
Open field or fixed list
Two methods were in contention. An open field respects self-identification and does not force people into a pre-set box, but it produces spelling variants, synonyms and sub-caste names that are hard to reconcile. A fixed list, which Bihar used in its 2022-23 survey, gives clean totals quickly, but someone must decide in advance which names to list and which to merge. The pre-test in July 2026 used the open field.
- Respondent writes own caste name
- Captures self-identification
- Many spellings and variants
- Needs heavy coding later
- Respondent picks from a list
- Easy to tabulate
- Risk of merging or missing groups
- Used in Bihar's 2022-23 survey
How we got here
Caste was counted fully in Census operations until 1931. After Independence, only SCs and STs were enumerated, and other castes had no official national count for eight decades. SECC 2011 tried to collect caste data outside the Census, but its caste figures were never published. On 30 April 2025, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs approved caste enumeration in the next Census, and the Census was notified in June 2025.
- 1931Last Census to count all castes
- 1951First Census of independent India; only SCs and STs counted
- 2011SECC records over 46 lakh caste names; data not released
- 30 Apr 2025CCPA approves caste enumeration in the Census
- Jul 2026Pre-test uses open-column method
- 1 Mar 2027Reference date for most of India
What is at stake
The coded data will feed debates on OBC sub-categorisation, the 50% reservation ceiling and the targeting of welfare. If the classification is opaque or delayed, critics may reject the figures, as happened with SECC. If it is transparent and expert-led, India will have its first reliable national caste profile in nearly a century. The decision is therefore technical in form but political in effect.
You now know
- Census 2027 asks non-SC/ST respondents to write their caste in an open field, with a 'no caste' option.
- How the entries will be sorted and tabulated has not been decided.
- SECC 2011 produced over 46 lakh caste names and its caste data was never released.
- Reference date: 1 March 2027; 1 October 2026 for snow-bound areas.
Go deeper
In one line: Census 2027 will record caste through an open field, but the government has not decided how to turn those free-text answers into tables.
Why it matters for UPSC
Caste and the Census connect GS1 (Indian society, population) and GS2 (social justice, vulnerable sections). Expect questions on caste identity, data for reservation, and Census facts in Prelims.
The core idea
Under Open-Field Enumeration, each non-SC/ST person names their own caste. That respects self-identification but creates many variants. The last attempt, SECC 2011, produced over 46 lakh names and the caste data was shelved. The Registrar General of India must now propose a coding plan, which the Home Secretary and then the Ministry or Cabinet will approve. The result will matter for OBC Sub-categorisation and for debates on the 50% ceiling.
Numbers and dates to remember
- 1931: last full caste count.
- 46 lakh+: caste names in SECC 2011.
- 30 April 2025: CCPA approval.
- 6 to 20 July 2026: pre-test with open column.
- 1 March 2027: reference date; 1 October 2026 for snow-bound areas.
Where to go next
- Open-Field Enumeration: Letting people write their own caste
- SECC 2011: The caste survey whose data never came out
- Registrar General of India: The office that runs the Census
- OBC Sub-categorisation: Dividing the OBC quota among sub-groups
Go deeper: what makes caste data usable
Collecting caste is easy compared with classifying it. The SECC 2011 experience showed three problems: the same group written in many spellings, different groups sharing a name, and local names that do not match any official list. With Open-Field Enumeration, these problems return at national scale.
A workable approach usually has four parts. First, a dictionary of caste names and their variants, built from State OBC lists, anthropological surveys and past data. Second, clear rules for mapping each entry to a category, with human review for uncertain cases. Third, publication of the method before results, so that the figures can be checked. Fourth, a quality report showing how many entries could not be classified.
The stakes are high. Data could settle long-running questions about OBC Sub-categorisation, where the Rohini Commission examined whether a few groups corner most benefits. It could also inform the debate on the 50% ceiling from Indra Sawhney (1992).
The Registrar General of India also faces a timing problem: enumeration in snow-bound areas is already under way, so the coding plan has to be settled soon if tabulation is not to be delayed.
Where to go next
- Open-Field Enumeration: Letting people write their own caste
- SECC 2011: The caste survey whose data never came out
- Registrar General of India: The office that runs the Census
- OBC Sub-categorisation: Dividing the OBC quota among sub-groups
Open-Field Enumeration
Letting people write their own caste
In one line: Instead of ticking a box, people write their caste in their own words.
Why use it
Nobody is forced into a category they do not accept. People can also say they have no caste.
The catch
People spell names differently, and one caste can have many local names. Someone has to sort all these answers into groups before they can be counted, and that sorting is what the government has not yet decided. The Registrar General's office will suggest a plan, and the Cabinet will have the final say.
Where to go next
- SECC 2011: The caste survey whose data never came out
- Registrar General of India: The office that runs the Census
SECC 2011
The caste survey whose data never came out
In one line: The Socio-Economic and Caste Census of 2011 tried to count caste but its caste data was never released.
What went wrong
People wrote caste names freely, and the survey ended up with more than 46 lakh different names because of spelling and regional differences.
Why it matters now
Critics fear Census 2027 could face the same problem if the method of sorting names is not clear. That is why experts want the sorting rules to be published before the counting results come out.
Where to go next
- Open-Field Enumeration: Letting people write their own caste
- Registrar General of India: The office that runs the Census
Registrar General of India
The office that runs the Census
In one line: The Registrar General and Census Commissioner runs India's Census and works under the Home Ministry.
What the office does
It plans the Census, trains enumerators, collects the data and publishes the results. It also keeps records of births and deaths.
Its role now
It must draw up the plan for sorting caste names in Census 2027 and send it to the Home Secretary for approval. For Census 2027, it is also running India's first digital Census, with a mobile app and an option for people to fill in their own details online.
Where to go next
- Open-Field Enumeration: Letting people write their own caste
- SECC 2011: The caste survey whose data never came out
Registrar General of India: every story that connects to it (2)
OBC Sub-categorisation
Dividing the OBC quota among sub-groups
In one line: It means dividing the OBC reservation quota among smaller groups so that benefits are shared fairly.
Why people want it
Some OBC groups may be getting most of the jobs and seats, while others get very little.
Where caste data helps
The Rohini Commission, set up under Article 340, studied this question. Good Census data on the size of each group would make such decisions much easier to justify, and harder to dispute in court or in politics.
Where to go next
- Open-Field Enumeration: Letting people write their own caste
- SECC 2011: The caste survey whose data never came out
Take the 26 September 2026 quiz: 30 Prelims-style questions with answers