NEW DELHI: In an effort to gain traction on a delicate topic ahead of regional elections, India’s cabinet approved the inclusion of residents’ caste statistics in its population census on Wednesday, according to the information minister.
The minister did not announce a date when the census would begin. The epidemic and logistical and technical challenges have caused a delay in the once-in-a-decade population survey, which was initially scheduled for 2021.
The caste system, a rigid social stratification system that dates back thousands of years, is critical in Indian life and politics. There are scores of caste-based political parties and many state institutions must offer quotas to lower castes for employment and college places.
