IAPL seeks ‘No Caste, No Religion’ option in Census 2027
The Indian Association of People’s Lawyers is advocating for a 'No Caste, No Religion' option in the 2027 Census. They argue that citizens should have the right to official recognition of their choice to not identify with any specific caste or religious group.
Why it matters
This reflects a growing social movement in India seeking to decouple individual identity from traditional caste and religious classifications in government data.
The Indian Association of People’s Lawyers (IAPL) has urged the Centre to include a separate ‘No Caste, No Religion’ (NRNC) category in the upcoming Census 2027, arguing that citizens who do not identify with any caste or religion should be able to have their choice officially recognised.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the IAPL said the absence of such an option in official records had resulted in individuals being assigned identities they did not claim, particularly in birth registration, school admissions and other government processes.
The organisation said the Census has evolved over the decades to recognise newer categories, citing the inclusion of disability-related questions in 2001 and transgender identity in 2011. It noted that caste enumeration, which was discontinued after 1951 except for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, has also been brought back for Census 2027 following demands from across the country.
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