NationalWednesday, 26 August 2026·Hindu Tamil Thisai
Caste census data collection: Kharge and Rahul urge Modi to change the open-ended method
On 2026-08-25, Congress leaders Kharge and Rahul Gandhi asked PM Modi to change the caste-data collection method in the caste census.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In August 2026, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a change in the caste-data collection method for the caste census.
Key specifics
- The leaders objected to the current “open-ended question” method used to record caste names.
- They said one caste can appear under multiple names, sub-caste names, or local names across different regions.
- The letter warned that the same community could get split into thousands of entries, making the data hard to use.
- They argued that inaccurate caste data can affect socially and educationally backward classes and other marginalised groups.
- The request was addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with Kharge and Rahul Gandhi as the signatories.
Exam lens
Polity and governance question type: census method, social justice, and data classification; remember the terms open-ended question, caste census, Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and PM Narendra Modi.