The Union Government has recently announced that caste enumeration will be part of the upcoming census. Examine the opportunities and challenges associated with conducting a nationwide caste census. Also, propose a framework for its seamless and effective conduct.

Caste census means counting the number of people from different caste. It was last conducted in 1931, will be part of census 2027. Opportunities from caste census: i Identify the socio-economic condition of people caste-wise to understand extent of caste based discrimination as observations. ii Gauge the effectiveness of 75 years of affirmative action c Reservations in jobs & education

iii Help in subcategorization of survey - action benefits. c - Rajkini committee found 90% of benefits cornered by certain OBC castes. iv Provide data to civil society to plan for aid to vulnerable groups. v More targeted policies by government c - For most backward. vi situation of caste among new hindu groups c - muslim & christian. Challenges are also there: i enhance politicization of caste identity c - political parties may mobilize larger groups. ii Threat to sights of minority

caste queller. c - Demand for reservation in pro-portion to population. iii Can enhance 'caste consciousness' in lower dividing people. c - 2011 census only 18% intercaste marriages. Irregulation to make power seamless: i Digitalization of process allowing self enumeration. ii Use of NRHDE to supplement government work force. iii Create a list of jatis for clarity to enumeration officers. Ultimately, the focus of labour scale should by an 'capability appr-oach' as advocated by Amartya sen for inclusive development.