Bihar Caste Survey: 27% Backward Classes, 36% Extremely Backward Classes

While the Indian Supreme Court hears petitions challenging a Patna High Court’s Aug 2023 judgment that paved the way for CM Nitish Kumar's caste census, Bihar has released the caste-based census data. The report indicates 36% of the population are from Extremely Backward Classes, 27.1% are from Backward Classes, 19.7% are from Scheduled Castes and 1.7% are from Scheduled Tribes. General caste is 15.5%. The data – released months before the 2024 Lok Sabha election – shows backward classes are now 63.1%. Bihar’s population is 131M which is almost 1/10 of India's, so these figures can be considered representative of national figures. In 2012, the INC had ordered a caste census. The report was ready in 2014 when the new BJP government suppressed it. The report challenged the BJP’s view of the Hindu society being a unified whole. The INC is saying Jitni Abadi, Utna Haq which translates to proportional representation on matters of caste. The fallout of the report will include calls to increase quotas for Extremely and Other Backward Classes which is capped now at 27%. This will affect Panjab as well, where Dalits (Scheduled Caste) are supposedly 31% and Jatts 26% (considered General), but Jatts remain in power. Jatts are classified under (Other) Backward Castes in 7 of 36 Indian states and territories, but not in Panjab.