Counting castes among Dalits - The Hindu

Key Issue: Internal Reservation among Scheduled Castes in Karnataka

The article focuses on a new survey initiated in Karnataka to address the demand for internal reservation within the Scheduled Castes (SCs) community. This follows a Supreme Court directive allowing states to redistribute the 17% SC reservation based on empirical data.

Conflicting Interests and Past Attempts

The Dalit left (Madiga) caste has long sought internal reservation, claiming the Dalit right (Holeya) caste disproportionately benefits from the existing system. Previous attempts to address this, including a 2012 commission report and a 2015 caste census, faced resistance from dominant communities and were not fully implemented.

The New Survey and its Goals

The current survey, led by retired High Court judge H.N. Nagmohan Das, aims to collect accurate socio-economic and educational data on SC sub-castes. It addresses the issue of inconsistent caste nomenclature used in the past, leading to inaccurate population counts. The government has paused public recruitment until the survey's completion.

Challenges and Implications

The survey faces challenges due to inconsistent caste naming practices across regions and historical biases in data collection. Its findings will significantly impact the allocation of internal reservations within the existing 17% quota. The outcome will affect political dynamics in the state.

• Data collection is crucial for fair allocation of resources and representation.
• The survey will hopefully address historical injustices and ensure equitable distribution of benefits.
• The government's decision to pause recruitment highlights the significance of these findings.