Justice Rohini commission member backs caste census, sub-categorisation of SCs/STs

JK Bajaj supports a caste census and sub-categorisation of SC/STs, aligning with a recent Supreme Court ruling.

At least one member of the government’s commission on sub-categorisation of Other Backward Classes(OBC), the Justice G Rohini Commission, has supported not just a caste census but also sub-categorisation of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, in line with the Supreme Court’s ruling earlier this month. JK Bajaj’s support for the caste census may be in his personal capacity but it assumes significance because of his proximity to the government, holding key posts like that of chairman of Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR). Bajaj is also considered close to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS) as his book Making of a Hindu Patriot: Background of Gandhiji’s Hind Swaraj’ was launched by the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in 2021.

JK Bajaj (icssr.org)

“Personally, I am for caste census,” Bajaj said. “Since we are doing 50% of our admissions and appointments on the basis of caste, not having the data is like keeping ourselves in the dark. “ It is, however, unclear whether the Rohini Commission has also supported the census. Since it was submitted last year in August, the commission’s report has been lying with the President of India’s office and Bajaj refused to confirm its contents. While the Opposition is united in its demand for such a census, the Bhartiya Janata Party is in a quandary with its allies like the Lok Janshakti Party supporting it, but others being opposed to implementing it nation wide.

“It isn’t a very easy thing to do. For OBC castes there is a central and state list but the government will also have to prepare a list of forward castes, as there are many in that list too who want to claim OBC status. For instance, you have the case of the Marathas in Maharashtra,’’ said Bajaj. He also completely rejected the idea that Congress’ Rahul Gandhi had put the government on the backfoot on the issue of caste representation. “Caste census is a larger demand than Rahul Gandhi. Socialist parties have also been asking for it , and many in BJP want it too. The Congress has only picked it up now.” 

The top court’s ruling earlier this month, that state governments have the authority to create subclassifications within the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) for the purpose of preferential reservations (as long as this based on data), has opened the door for states to identify and provide targeted benefits to the most disadvantaged sub-groups within the broader SC/ST categories. Following the judgement, the union cabinet ruled out the court’s suggestion of instituting income based exclusions in the SC/ST quotas.

But Bajaj sees merit in the court’s order.

“Sub-categorisation in Dalits and Adivasis is even more needed than for OBCs,” said Bajaj, “The data I have been looking at shows great differential from caste to caste within SC/STs, “ he said. The Rohini Commission member has written to the government to record the caste of every person who avails reservation in jobs and educational institutes.

“The data on quota usage will show which caste has got how much. It will be more important than data on population and, captured in entirety, will be crucial for our reservation system to be just and inclusive,” he said. At present, government records show simply the number of admissions and appointments made through quotas, without giving a split by caste. The Rohini Commission studied data linked to 100,000 admissions under the OBC quota in central education institutes and 130,000 recruitments in the central government between 2015 and 2018. It found that a quarter of the share of benefits went to just 10 OBC castes, another quarter to 38 castes, a third quarter to 102 castes and under a fourth (22.3%) to 506 castes . A staggering 983 castes got no benefits while 994 jousted for just 2.68% of the benefits.