Ponnam seeks separate OBC/SEBC category in Census 2027
Telangana Minister Ponnam Prabhakar has requested that the Prime Minister include a separate, clearly identifiable category for OBC/SEBC communities in the 2027 Census. He argues that a standardized, scientific methodology is necessary to ensure accurate data collection and social policy implementation.
Why it matters
Accurate caste-based data is a critical and contentious issue in Indian politics, directly influencing reservation policies and social welfare distribution.
Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure a separate and clearly identifiable category for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) or Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBCs) in the Census 2027 questionnaire.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Mr. Prabhakar said the absence of a separate OBC/SEBC category could affect the accuracy and usability of caste enumeration data. He sought standardised caste coding and a scientific methodology for identifying backward communities.
The Minister said caste identity and OBC/SEBC classification were not necessarily synonymous, as the classification could vary between the Central and State lists. He said the Census methodology should take into account the State-specific nature of OBC/SEBC classification.
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