Ponnam Prabhakar Urges PM Modi to Include Separate OBC Category in Census 2027

Telangana 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 addressed to the Prime Minister, Mr. Prabhakar stated that the absence of a distinct OBC/SEBC category could compromise the accuracy and usability of caste enumeration data across the country. He called for standardised caste coding and the adoption of a scientific methodology to identify backward communities effectively.

Mr. Prabhakar noted that caste identity and OBC/SEBC classifications are not necessarily synonymous, pointing out that classifications often differ between Central and State lists. He emphasized that the Census methodology must account for the State-specific nature of OBC and SEBC categories.

Referring to the experience of the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011, the Minister highlighted that spelling discrepancies, local nomenclatures, synonyms, sub-castes, and phonetic variations led to an overwhelming number of separate caste entries. He noted that these variations created significant hurdles in data verification, aggregation, and classification.

To prevent similar issues in the upcoming census, Mr. Prabhakar urged the Union government to prepare a comprehensive State-wise master caste directory and assign unique digital codes to all recognised castes and communities. He also recommended establishing a dedicated mechanism to separately identify and flag unlisted, disputed, or locally recognised caste names for verification.

Furthermore, the Minister suggested preserving both the caste declared by a respondent and its corresponding administrative classification to ensure total transparency and data traceability.

Citing Telangana’s Socio-Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste (SEEEPC) Survey 2024-25 as a model for structured caste and socio-economic data collection, Mr. Prabhakar noted that the State survey successfully identified social groups through an organised system.

He concluded that the Centre must ensure Census 2027 produces a usable OBC/SEBC dataset rather than simply compiling raw caste names, emphasizing that accurate data is vital for framing policies regarding reservation, political representation, education, employment, and welfare.