Why a Caste Census Could Harm India’s Unity:

Dear Fellow Citizens,

As discussions around conducting a nationwide caste census gain momentum, it is important for us, the people of India, to pause and reflect on its deeper impact.

While it is being projected as a tool for social justice, the caste census may do more harm than good in a country that is striving to move beyond caste divisions.

Here’s why we must be cautious:

 • It revives caste divisions: At a time when young Indians are dreaming of a casteless and equal society, a caste census forces people to identify themselves by caste again, deepening divisions instead of healing them.

 • Politics over progress: Caste numbers can be used to polarize voters and justify more reservations, not always based on genuine need, but to gain political mileage. This undermines merit, hard work, and national unity.

 • It may increase social tension: By putting a spotlight on caste identities, the census can fuel competition, jealousy, and resentment between communities, especially when resources are scarce and benefits are unequally distributed.

 • It ignores real issues: India’s biggest challenges today are poverty, unemployment, education, and health, not caste. A caste census risks shifting focus away from these real, urgent problems.

India should be moving forward and not backwards. Instead of re-dividing society based on centuries-old classifications, let’s demand equality based on economic and educational need, not inherited labels.

Thank you for standing with me. Together, let’s work for a united, fair, and forward-looking India.

Jai Hind,

Sneha Chakraborty