Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav has taken a strong stance in favor of the Centre's decision to include caste-based data in the upcoming national census. In a detailed letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Yadav not only welcomed this move but also framed it as a pivotal opportunity to reshape India's social justice architecture.

The announcement comes at a time when public discourse on caste, equity, and representation is intensifying, especially following Bihar’s groundbreaking caste-based survey conducted last year. Tejashwi's letter signals a call to action—urging not just enumeration, but empowerment through policy reforms.

Caste Census as a Tool for Empowerment

In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Tejashwi Yadav wrote:

"The millions who have struggled for this census await not just data but dignity, not just enumeration but empowerment."

This statement encapsulates the deeper aspiration behind the demand for a caste census. It's not about numbers—it's about recognition and redistributive justice. According to Yadav, this census could mark a "transformative moment in our nation’s journey toward equality."

He described the Centre’s decision as a “belated acknowledgment” of the consistent demands made by marginalised communities, social justice activists, and regional political outfits like RJD and DMK.

A Foundation for Re-evaluating Reservation Policies

One of the boldest demands in the letter is a reconsideration of the current reservation framework, particularly the arbitrary 50% cap on caste-based reservations, which was laid down in the Indra Sawhney case (1992). Tejashwi wrote that:

“The census data must lead to a comprehensive review of social protection and reservation policies. The arbitrary cap on reservations will also have to be reconsidered.”

Yadav is effectively calling for data-driven policymaking that aligns social protection schemes with current demographic realities. For instance, Other Backward Classes (OBCs) have long argued that their actual population proportion is underrepresented in government jobs and educational institutions, owing to lack of precise data.

Political Re-mapping Based on Caste Data

Another important suggestion in Tejashwi’s letter was that the caste census should impact not only policy but also the structure of political representation. He wrote that the redrawing of parliamentary and assembly constituencies should reflect caste realities:

“The redrawing of constituencies should be done in a manner sensitive to and reflective of the caste census data.”

This implies a more inclusive delimitation process where constituencies are mapped in accordance with caste-wise population distribution, potentially leading to greater political representation for historically underrepresented groups.

Beyond Government Jobs: Inclusivity in Private Sector

Tejashwi also highlighted that caste-based inequality is not confined to public employment or rural sectors. Caste bias exists across organizational hierarchies in India’s booming private sector, too.

He pushed for open conversations around inclusivity and diversity in corporate India, arguing that the scope of caste reforms must go beyond sarkari naukri (government jobs):

“The context created by the caste census must be used to have open conversations about inclusivity and diversity in the private sector across organisational hierarchies.”

This is a rare and significant call to corporate India to examine its own inclusivity records, potentially leading to affirmative hiring practices and transparent diversity audits.

A History of Shelved Recommendations

In his concluding remarks, Tejashwi expressed concern over the fate of previous caste-related commission reports, suggesting a pattern of ignoring or shelving findings that are politically or socially inconvenient.

He asked whether the caste data from the census would lead to genuine reforms or meet the same fate as past commissions—like the Mandal Commission, Sachar Committee, and Rangnath Mishra Commission—many of whose recommendations were only partially implemented or ignored altogether.

This question is particularly relevant as public faith in institutional reforms is often undermined by the lack of follow-through.

Bihar’s Role in Shaping the National Narrative

The Bihar caste-based survey of 2023 played a crucial role in reviving national attention on this issue. The state's proactive approach put pressure on the Centre, and Tejashwi Yadav was one of its most vocal advocates.

That initiative revealed the socio-economic distribution of castes, enabling state-level policy fine-tuning. It also sparked demands for similar exercises in other states, pushing caste data collection into mainstream political conversation.

Caste Census: A Brief Overview

A caste census refers to the systematic collection of data on caste composition, including social, educational, and economic indicators like income, education, land ownership, and access to basic amenities.

India’s decennial Census has only consistently included data on Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) since 1951. However, it has excluded detailed information on OBCs and other castes, which many argue has distorted the allocation of welfare resources.

Accurate caste data is seen as essential for equitable development, targeted welfare schemes, and evaluating representation gaps in institutions such as parliament, judiciary, bureaucracy, and academia.

Implications for the 2026 Delimitation Exercise

One of the most crucial events ahead is the 2026 delimitation of parliamentary seats, which could be directly influenced by caste census findings. The realignment of constituencies, if based on caste data, could reshape India’s electoral map—benefiting some communities while reducing dominance of others.

This is why the political stakes are so high, and why Tejashwi’s letter presses for data-backed, just, and inclusive redrawing of electoral boundaries.

Final Thoughts: A Push for Data-Driven Governance

Tejashwi Yadav’s letter is more than political positioning—it’s a blueprint for reshaping India’s caste-based social contract. From reservation policy overhaul to private sector inclusivity and political constituency restructuring, he lays out a vision for genuine structural reforms backed by reliable data.

Whether the Centre acts on these recommendations or chooses symbolic tokenism over systemic change will be a key question in the coming years. But for now, the political and social narrative around caste, representation, and equity has undeniably entered a new phase.

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