Assembly Adopts Resolution Urging Centre To Include BC/OBC in National Census
BJP and AIMIM back the resolution
Hyderabad: The Telangana Legislative Assembly has adopted an unanimous resolution urging the Union government to include Backward Classes (BC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) details in the national census-2027. The House urged the Centre for inclusion of BC/OBC in the second phase questionnaire.
The resolution was moved by BC welfare minister Ponnam Prabhakar in the House. He requested the Union government to collect comprehensive, caste wise data specifically identifying BCs/OBCs based on the official lists maintained by the state and union governments.
The resolution pointed out that in the 40-question format issued by the Union ministry of home affairs on August 14, 2026 for the second phase of Census, in the Column No. 10 fails to mention explicitly about BC/OBC. It is mentioned only as "Scheduled Castes (SC) / Scheduled Tribes (ST) / Other Caste."
Citing that BCs and OBCs form the largest section of the population in the country, it argued that there was a risk that the OBC enumeration will again become unsystematic.
The resolution further demands amendment to question no.10 clearly specifying it on par with SCs and STs as: "Scheduled Castes (SC) / Scheduled Tribes (ST) / Other Backward Classes (OBC) / Other Castes".
Ponnam Prabhakar urged the Central government during an Assembly debate to ensure an accurate enumeration of OBCs. He emphasised that reliable data is essential for evidence-based social justice, effective welfare policies, and determining proper representation. He argued that a national census cannot be comprehensive if it fails to accurately capture the BC population.
The minister argued that the lists of Backward Class castes officially recognised by the Central and State governments should be pre-loaded in the digital portal, so that enumerators can select from that list only. “The Centre should collect accurate statistics without diluting the sacred objective of caste census - which is to identify various castes and their percentages and formulate welfare schemes for the upliftment of depressed classes,” the minister argued.
The BJP and AIMIM backed the resolution in the House. With the passage of this official resolution, Telangana joins states like Tamil Nadu in formally pressuring the Centre to reform how backward community demographics are calculated nationally.
