Introductory Memo
Bharat will once again have debates around the idea of having a caste census, bringing into focus a long and complicated history. What may seem like a simple exercise of counting communities is, in fact, deeply tied to the country’s social structure and political decisions. From the British-era census to the incomplete and contested attempts in recent years, every effort to record caste has faced serious challenges of classification, accuracy, and verification. The issue is not just about collecting data, but about defining identities that are diverse, local, and constantly changing. This raises a critical question: Can caste in a country as vast and complex as Bharat ever be measured in a clear and reliable way?