‘Caste survey’ in Tamil Nadu after Centre’s Census: Govt

CHENNAI: The State government on Thursday announced it would undertake a Social Justice Survey after the Union government completes the proposed caste enumeration as part of the ongoing Population Census exercise, governor Rajendra Arlekar said in his address to the Assembly.

The governor’s address reiterated that social justice would remain a core policy commitment of the State government and noted that the state has urged the Union government to complete the caste enumeration exercise at the earliest.

"After the Union Government completes the caste enumeration, the government of Tamil Nadu will conduct a Social Justice Survey," Arlekar said.

The announcement has been welcomed by several political parties, including Anbumani Ramadoss-led PMK, which has consistently demanded a comprehensive caste survey and updated socio-economic data to support policy formulation and reservation-related decisions.

Meanwhile, preparations for the nationwide census exercise are progressing. Officials said the Directorate of Census Operations has already initiated preliminary activities across Tamil Nadu. The household enumeration phase is scheduled to begin in August, during which enumerators will undertake door-to-door data collection. Enumerators will ask citizens a set of 33 questions related to household amenities like vehicles owned, internet access, types of bathroom, mobile phones, etc., socio-economic status, and demographics.