The ruling JDU-RJD alliance and the BJP-led Opposition in Bihar continued to disagree over the caste-based survey in the state. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Patna High Court's decision to quash the PILs against the Bihar government's decision to conduct the caste-based survey.
On Monday, August 28, the Centre told the top court that only the Union government could conduct a census, according to Entry 69 of the Seventh Schedule's List I and the Census Act, 1948. In its two-page affidavit, the Centre also said the government was committed to taking "all affirmative actions for the upliftment of the SC/ST/OBC by the provisions of the Constitution of India and the applicable law."
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav have repeatedly underlined the distinction between a census and a survey. The chief minister also said his government’s goal was to gather financial information about all people in the state, regardless of caste, wealth, religion, among others, to work towards their welfare.
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The Patna High Court had termed the state government’s initiative valid and legally competent, giving a go-ahead to a stalled exercise after almost three months.
What exactly is this caste-based survey all about?
A caste-based survey is a thorough effort by the Bihar government to collect extensive information. The main objective is to collect socio-economic details of people belonging to different castes, sub-castes, and religious groups in the state populace. This survey is expected to cover socio-economic information for approximately 127 million people across the 38 districts of Bihar.
The state government also aims to better understand the living situations and economic positions of various communities, particularly those that have been historically marginalised and faced socio-economic challenges.
What’s the difference between a survey and a census?
A survey is a method of collecting data from only a portion of the total population. It selects a sample to represent the entire population, making it a data collection process involving just a subset of people.
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On the other hand, a census is data collection that covers the entire population. In a census, information is collected from every single member of the population. Unlike a survey, a census doesn't involve sampling — it involves collecting data from 100 percent of the population. Because a census includes everyone, the collected data is more precise and detailed.
