News

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw's announcement on Wednesday that the Centre would include a caste -based listing in its next census has sparked a debate on social media on whether the data would help the government formulate policies accordingly or deepen divisions in the society.

A caste census means counting people by their caste during the national population survey. It is conducted by asking individuals or households to self-identify their caste or caste affiliation.

On social media, one section of users has raised their voice against participating in the census and have called for caste to be excluded from it.

Another section of users welcomed the decision and stated that a caste-based census would bring in clarity about the population and raise awareness against the caste system.

Meanwhile, a third section of netizens pointed out that at a time when tensions between Indian and Pakistan are high, announcing the caste-based listing in the census appeared to be an attempt to distract the masses, and possibly, even Pakistan. "In the last few hours, the caste census has taken over as the biggest headline in the country. The situation with Pakistan is no longer a major story, and public attention has been diverted. Who knows, someone might be playing the smartest card here," commented X user and influencer Aaraynsh (@aaraynsh). Several users used memes to react to the development.

The last caste census conducted in India was in 1931. According to the available data, the total number of castes as per the 1931 caste census was 4,147.

Discover the latest Business News, Budget 2025 News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!

${res.must_watch_article[0].headline}

Stock Market Holiday Jammu Kashmir News Live Waves Summit 2025 Live Heatwave in India Q4 Results 2025 Live Hit 3 Review JKBOSE 10th Result 2025 Kolkata News Retro Movie Review IPL Points Table 2025

Business Markets Stocks India News City News Economy Mutual Funds Personal Finance IPO News Startups

Home Currencies Commodities Pre-Market IPO Global Market Bonds

Home Loans up to 50 Lakhs Credit Cards Lifetime Free Finance TrackerNew Fixed Deposits Fixed Deposit Comparison Fixed Income

Home MC 30 Top Ranked Funds ETFs Mutual Fund Screener

Income Tax Calculator EMI Calculator Retirement Planning Gratuity Calculator

Stock Markets

News18 Firstpost CNBC TV18 News18 Hindi Cricketnext Overdrive Topper Learning

About Us Contact Us Advisory Alert Advertise with Us SupportDisclaimer Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms & Conditions Financial Terms (Glossary) Sitemap Investors

You are already a Moneycontrol Pro user.