In a historic and politically significant move, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) has approved the inclusion of caste census in the upcoming national Census, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on April 30, 2025. The decision marks the first official caste-based Census since 1931 and comes amid growing demands for a data-driven approach to social justice and affirmative action. Addressing the media after the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vaishnaw stressed that Census is a Union subject under Article 246 of the Constitution, listed at 69th in the Union List of the Seventh Schedule. “Some states have conducted surveys to enumerate castes. Some have done it with transparency, while others conducted them purely from a political lens. These surveys have created confusion and suspicion,” he said.
#WATCH | Delhi | “Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs has decided today that Caste enumeration should be included in the forthcoming census,” says Union Minister Ashiwini Vaishnaw on Union Cabinet decisions. pic.twitter.com/0FtK0lg9q7
— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2025
“In order to avoid such ambiguity and ensure that caste enumeration is conducted transparently, the Cabinet has decided to incorporate it into the official Census process. This move will bolster the social and economic structure of our country while preserving national unity,” Vaishnaw added. The Centre’s decision signals a major policy shift and is being seen as a strategic and inclusive step by the Modi government, especially ahead of the 2029 general elections. It also aims to undercut the political narrative of the Opposition INDIA bloc, which has increasingly rallied around the demand for a caste census to push for more targeted welfare measures.
In a pointed attack on the Congress and its allies, Vaishnaw accused previous governments of deliberately avoiding caste enumeration and using the issue merely for vote bank politics. “Congress governments, including the UPA, never included caste in the national Census. In 2010, then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had promised the Lok Sabha that the matter would be taken up in the Cabinet. A group was formed, recommendations were made, but ultimately no caste census took place — only a survey was conducted,” he said.
Vaishnaw contrasted this with the Modi government’s track record, highlighting the implementation of 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) without creating social unrest. “This government has always worked in the interest of every section of society, ensuring harmony while delivering justice,” he said.
In addition to the caste census, the Cabinet also approved major infrastructure and economic proposals. These include the development of a 166.80 km Greenfield access-controlled highway from Mawlyngkhung in Meghalaya to Panchgram in Assam at a cost of ₹22,864 crore. This high-speed corridor is expected to significantly improve connectivity in the Northeast. The Cabinet also fixed the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane for the 2025-26 season at ₹355 per quintal for a 10.25% recovery rate, with proportional adjustments for higher or lower recovery. This move is aimed at securing the interests of farmers amid rising input costs. With caste census now approved, the Centre has positioned itself as both socially responsive and politically savvy, challenging the Opposition to walk the talk on an issue they long championed but failed to deliver.
