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History, Politics, and the Future of Enumeration in India Caste Census I. Introduction: The Caste Census Conundrum in Modern India The debate surrounding a nationwide caste census has resurfaced with significant political and social force in contemporary India. Recent state-level initiatives, most notably the comprehensive caste survey conducted by the Bihar government 1 , alongside a pivotal, though yet-to-be-implemented, decision by the Union Cabinet in April 2025 to include caste enumeration in the next national census 3 , have reignited discussions about the necessity, methodology, and implications of counting caste. This potential policy shift is particularly noteworthy as it comes after decades of deliberate avoidance of comprehensive caste enumeration in the post-independence era, a departure from the practice under British colonial rule. 3 The enduring relevance of caste underpins this debate. Despite India's modernization, constitutional guarantees of equality, and the for...