PIB Summary - 30th May 2025 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

Caste-Based Enumeration and Social Justice

Caste-Based Enumeration: A Transformative Tool

• The Vice President (VP) of India has praised the decision to include caste-based enumeration in the upcoming decadal census, calling it a "game-changing" move.
• The VP likened this decision to an MRI of the body, suggesting that it will reveal underlying societal realities that are crucial for policy integration.
• Emphasizing the importance of this initiative, the VP stated that it will help fulfill aspirations, ensure social justice, and translate constitutional ideals into accountable outcomes.
• He also pointed out the urgency of updated data, noting that India has not conducted a caste census since 1931.

Statistics as the Pillar of Good Governance

• The Vice President equated policy planning without statistics to performing surgery in the dark, highlighting the risks involved in making decisions without accurate data.
• He stressed the importance of real-time, accurate data in creating informed policies and warned that stale or delayed data undermines governance.
• Timely statistics, on the other hand, can lead to exponential outcomes and significantly improve governance.

Empirical Thinking & Evidence-Based Governance

• The VP urged India to adopt empirical thinking driven by data rather than assumptions.
• He emphasized the need to master the art of reading societal trends and statistical signatures, as every number represents a human story and collective aspiration.

Demographic Analysis and National Security

• Understanding demographic variation through data is crucial for security planning, policy foresight, and preserving sovereignty.
• Demographic data serves as a compass for national development and threat mitigation, guiding policymakers in making informed decisions.

Statistics for Equity and Targeted Governance

• The VP referred to Indian Statistical Service (ISS) officers as "agents of equality" whose work uncovers hidden geometries of inequality.
• Data enables targeted interventions in areas of need, making democracy more inclusive and ensuring good governance through statistical cartography.

Role of Civil Servants and Bureaucracy

• Civil servants are described as "silent architects" of India's socio-economic progress, playing a crucial role in the country's development.
• The combination of effective bureaucracy and visionary political leadership is identified as a key factor in India's growth success.
• Bureaucratic execution under visionary leadership is driving India's infrastructure development and economic rise.

Linguistic Diversity as Unity

• The VP highlighted that India's linguistic diversity is a unifying cultural strength rather than a divisive force.
• He praised the constitutional vision of promoting Hindi and regional languages while gradually phasing out English.
• The National Education Policy (NEP) was commended for enabling vernacular education in technical fields, contributing to inclusive education.

Concluding Message

•  Data is considered strategic capital in 21st-century governance, and the caste-based census is seen as a milestone towards equality and effective governance. 
•  The VP emphasized that empirical thinking, rather than rhetoric, should guide India's path towards becoming a developed nation, Viksit Bharat. 

Caste-Based Enumeration in India: Key Points

Background

• The last caste census was conducted in 1931 during British India.
• After India gained independence, subsequent censuses only collected data on Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), excluding Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and other castes.
• The Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) in 2011 attempted to collect caste data, but the information was not released due to concerns about its reliability.

Constitutional & Legal Basis

• Article 340 of the Indian Constitution empowers the President to appoint a commission to investigate the conditions of backward classes. This article was the basis for the Mandal Commission, which recommended affirmative action for OBCs.
• While there is no explicit constitutional mandate for a nationwide caste census, states have the federal power to conduct surveys for welfare purposes.

Recent Developments

• In 2023, Bihar conducted a caste survey, becoming the first state to carry out a comprehensive caste survey post-independence.
• Other states such as Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan are considering similar caste surveys.
• The demand for a nationwide caste census has been raised in discussions focused on social justice and reservation policies.

Arguments in Favour

• A caste census aids in targeted welfare and improves policy planning by providing accurate data on different caste groups.
• It enables data-driven affirmative action, particularly for OBCs who have historically been underrepresented in welfare schemes.
• The census helps update outdated estimates and reveals intra-group inequalities within broader categories like OBCs.
• It supports horizontal reservation, allowing for specific sub-categories within OBCs, such as Economically Backward Classes (EBCs) and Most Backward Castes (MBCs).

Arguments Against

• Critics argue that a caste census could deepen caste divisions and politicize identity, leading to greater social fragmentation.
• There are concerns about the reliability of the data and the accuracy of self-identification in caste categories.
• The administrative burden of conducting such a survey and the potential for misuse of the data are significant concerns.
• Opponents also fear that focusing on caste may overshadow class-based inequalities, which are also crucial for understanding social disparities.

Judicial View

•  The Supreme Court in the Indra Sawhney case (1992) recognized OBCs as a valid category for affirmative action but emphasized the need for updated data to support such measures. 
•  Courts have permitted state-level surveys to collect caste data if the purpose is welfare and not electoral politics, aligning with the principles of social justice.

Sikkim: At a Glance

Sikkim: An Overview

Statehood: Sikkim became the 22nd state of India on 16 May 1975.

Capital: The capital city of Sikkim is Gangtok.

Official Languages: The official languages of Sikkim are Nepali, Bhutia, Lepcha, and English.

Border States & Countries: Sikkim shares its borders with the following:

• West: Nepal
• North & East: China (Tibet)
• South: West Bengal
• East: Bhutan

Environment & Agriculture

• Sikkim was declared India’s first 100% organic state in 2016.
• The state is home to the Khangchendzonga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Sikkim is rich in diverse flora and fauna, including Rhododendrons and the Red Panda, which is the state animal.

Unique Features

•  Sikkim is renowned for Dalle Khursani, a GI-tagged chili. 
•  The state is also home to Soreng, India’s first organic fisheries cluster. 
•  Sikkim boasts a high per capita income compared to other northeastern states. 
•  The state has a high literacy rate of approximately 82% and favorable Human Development Index (HDI) rankings.