Karnataka’s Caste Survey Faces Resistance and Scrutiny Amid Fears of a Stalled Effort
A citizens’ group warns that political opposition and governmental failure to communicate threaten a crucial state-mandated survey, potentially undermining policies for marginalized communities.
BENGALURU – A vital state-level survey designed to map social and educational backwardness in Karnataka is facing significant headwinds from dominant caste groups, raising concerns that the initiative could be shelved like a similar effort a decade ago. The controversy has sparked a debate over data-driven governance, with critics accusing the state government of failing to adequately defend the survey’s legal and constitutional mandate.
ಜಾತಿ ಸರ್ವೇಕ್ಷಣೆ: ಸಮಾಜಿಕ ನ್ಯಾಯದ ಹಾದಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅಡ್ಡಬಂದ ಅಡಚಣೆಗಳು?
The discussion was central to a recent panel discussion organized by ‘Bahutva Karnataka,’ a citizens’ collective, which brought together academics, researchers, and journalists to dissect the Socio-Educational Survey 2025. The event highlighted a consensus that the exercise is critical for crafting equitable policy but is jeopardized by misinformation and a lack of political will.
A Mandate Mired in Misunderstanding
At the heart of the issue is widespread resistance to the survey, which some groups have labeled as unnecessary or unscientific. Panelists argued that this opposition is not only irrational but also against the interests of the state’s welfare.
Professor A. Narayana, an academic and writer, clarified the survey’s legal foundation. “The Supreme Court, in the landmark Indira Sawhney judgement, mandated all states to conduct a survey of the entire population every ten years to determine backwardness,” he stated. He explained that the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1995, was passed precisely to implement this directive, making the current survey a statutory requirement.
Professor Narayana emphasized the dire need for contemporary data, noting that policymakers still heavily rely on the 1931 census. “Development in India generally favours some groups over others,” he said. “In the absence of relevant data, how can we ensure more egalitarian development? We must ensure this survey is completed without delay and that its findings are published in full.”
Learning from the Past: The Ghost of the 2015 Survey
The shadow of the 2015 socio-economic survey, which was ultimately not acted upon, looms large over the current exercise. Panelists pointed to its shortcomings as a cautionary tale.
Professor Sunandamma, former Head of the Women’s Studies Department at Karnataka Women’s University, noted that the 2015 report contained significant lacunae. She cited its recommendation to reclassify the Kuruba community without providing substantiating data on the extent of their backwardness. “If they had substantiated this crucial recommendation, it would have been easier for the government to act,” she remarked.
She also lamented the survey’s failure to incorporate a gender lens in its analysis of development, a gap she hopes will be addressed in the 2025 exercise.
ಸರ್ವೇಕ್ಷಣೆಗೆ ವಿರೋಧ: ಜಾತಿ ಸರ್ವೇ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ರಾಜಕೀಯ: ಯಾರ ಲಾಭ, ಯಾರ ನಷ್ಟ?
Policy Gaps and Unfulfilled Promises
The discussion also delved into the specific challenges faced by religious minorities. Dr. Azhar, a research scholar, pointed out that previous commission reports have consistently established that Christians and Muslims in Karnataka are under-developed based on metrics like education and employment.
“While many state governments have set up schemes for the welfare of minorities, there are no comprehensive policies for their development,” Dr. Azhar argued. “This survey could help frame such policies.” He further criticized the implementation of existing schemes, noting, “Funds are not utilised fully, thus betraying the promise of the scheme.”
A Failure of Communication and Political Will
A key criticism leveled at the authorities was their failure to effectively communicate the purpose and importance of the survey to the public. Journalist Anisha Sheth placed the blame squarely on the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission and the state government.
“The government and the Commission have failed in their duty to communicate why the survey was important and the constitutional framework under which it is being done,” Sheth said. She challenged the narrative that the previous survey was “unscientific,” asking, “How can a survey which covered 94% of the state be termed unscientific? Why did both the government and media not more robustly question this opposition from dominant castes?”
*Media Updates: +91-93531 21474 [WhatsApp] | indianowme@gmail.com*
A Call for Transparency and Civil Society Engagement
In light of these challenges, Bahutva Karnataka has issued a call to action. The group is urging the Government of Karnataka to initiate wider consultations with civil society and experts for the subsequent stages of the survey, particularly data analysis and the presentation of findings. They have demanded that all next steps be conducted in a transparent and time-bound manner.
The success of the Socio-Educational Survey 2025 is seen as a critical test for the state’s commitment to evidence-based policy. The central question remains: will this latest attempt to quantify inequality overcome political resistance and bureaucratic inertia, or will it become another forgotten report, leaving the marginalized to wait another decade for their share of equitable development?
wolriv