No drop-down menu, caste census format to be open-ended

The Registrar General of India (RGI) has opted for an open-ended caste enumeration format instead of a drop-down menu for the upcoming caste census, which will be conducted concurrently with the population enumeration in February 2027. This format closely resembles the one used during the 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC).

Enumerators will simply ask respondents to state their caste without attempting to classify surnames, sub-castes, or other responses into broader caste categories. The RGI has ruled out using a dropdown menu, drawing from Central and State caste lists, particularly for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The decision stems from concerns about the poor data quality, absence of a standardized caste registry, and flaws in the operational design during the 2011 SECC, which produced nearly 46.7 lakh distinct caste names, a significant increase from the 4,147 castes recorded in 1931.

Despite the potential for producing similar results to the 2011 census, the government maintains that an open-ended question is the only way to avoid becoming the arbiter of caste identities.