Bengaluru: Karnataka will launch a fresh, comprehensive door-to-door socio-educational survey — popularly known as the caste census — from Sept 22 to Oct 7, covering the state’s population of an estimated seven crore. The massive exercise will involve 1.6 lakh govt employees, including teachers and officials from several departments.The move comes months after the state cabinet decided to shelve the previous caste survey report submitted in Feb 2024 due to widespread discontent over alleged under-reported population figures of politically dominant communities like Lingayats and Vokkaligas. That report, initially prepared by the Kantharaj Commission in 2015 and later modified by a panel headed by K Jayaprakash Hegde, was deemed outdated.Chief minister Siddaramaiah Wednesday met with officials from Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes (BC Commission) and backward classes welfare department to finalise broad parameters. He said the enumeration must be completed by Oct, setting the stage for a fresh report before Nov.“We will carry out the survey expeditiously; we intend to submit the report by Nov,” said Madhusudan R Naik, chairman, BC Commission. “Preliminary work is underway, and we will begin preparatory exercises such as training surveyors once we prepare a roadmap and schedule.”The new survey will include additional indicators such as economic status, political representation, landholding, and employment beyond the 54-question format used previously. “Addressing discrimination of castes is the main focus of the survey,” Siddaramaiah said after the meeting. “It should be a model for the country. The next budget will be based on this survey.”He said the exercise would be tech-driven this time with a mobile app being used for enumeration instead of manual formats. “The previous survey had 54 questions for respondents. We will have more questions this time. A technical committee will be set up to finalise the questions. The survey should be scientific and transparent,” Siddaramaiah said.He also directed officials to set up a high-power committee to oversee operations in Bengaluru, where an earlier survey had lagged due to non-cooperation from people and staff shortages. Since teachers will be involved, the enumeration is scheduled during Dasara holidays to avoid disruption to schools.“Survey work should be transparent, and efforts should be made to ensure that no one is excluded,” the CM said, urging officials to take precautions to avoid complaints. He also urged them to study the Telangana model of the 2024 SEEPC survey.GFXAt a glanceDates: Sept 22 – Oct 7 (15 days)Population: 7 croreEnumerators: 1.6 lakh (including teachers)Method: App-based surveyData points: Caste, income, land, jobs, representationReport Deadline: By Oct-end (for 2026 Budget)
