CURRENT AFFAIRS | 31 MARCH 2026
CLAT GK + CONSTITUTIONAL LAW & SOCIAL JUSTICE
Census Commissioner Mritunjay Kumar Narayan has announced that caste enumeration will be included in Phase 2 (Population Enumeration) of Census 2027. This is a historic decision — the last caste census was conducted in 1931 under the British. The move has reignited constitutional debates around reservation policy, data privacy, and the role of enumeration in shaping affirmative action.
What Is Happening?
Census 2027 will be conducted in two phases:
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- Phase 1 — Housing & Housing Census: Begins April 1, 2026. First leg in Andaman & Nicobar Islands (April 1-15), Delhi (April 10-24), UP (May 7-22).
- Phase 2 — Population Enumeration (PE): Will include caste data collection for the first time since independence.
Key points from the announcement:
- The National Population Register (NPR) will NOT be updated in Phase 1.
- All individual data collected remains confidential under the Census Act 1948 and cannot be shared with any organisation.
- The exercise will be conducted across all states and union territories in a phased manner.
Constitutional & Legal Framework
- Article 15: Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth — but Art. 15(4) enables special provisions for advancement of socially backward classes.
- Article 16: Equality of opportunity in public employment — Art. 16(4) allows reservation in appointments for backward classes.
- Article 340: Empowers the President to appoint a commission to investigate conditions of socially and educationally backward classes and recommend steps for their improvement.
- Article 342: Empowers the President to specify Scheduled Tribes by public notification.
- Census Act 1948: Governs the conduct of census operations; mandates confidentiality of individual data.
- Collection of Statistics Act 2008: Provides framework for collection, compilation, and dissemination of statistics.
Why This Matters for CLAT 2027
- GK Section: Census phases, timeline, NPR status — direct factual questions expected.
- Legal Reasoning: Privacy vs. enumeration — can the state collect caste data while protecting individual privacy? Tension between Census Act confidentiality and RTI Act transparency.
- Constitutional Law: Art. 340 (backward classes commission), Art. 342 (ST specification), and the Mandal Commission legacy.
- Landmark Case — Indra Sawhney v. UOI (1992): The 9-judge bench upheld Mandal Commission recommendations and established the 50% ceiling on reservations. Caste data could reopen debates on this ceiling.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Census Commissioner | Mritunjay Kumar Narayan |
| Phase 1 | Housing & Housing Census (starts April 1, 2026) |
| Phase 2 | Population Enumeration with caste data |
| First Territory | Andaman & Nicobar (April 1-15) |
| NPR Update | NOT in Phase 1 |
| Last Caste Census | 1931 (British era) |
| Key Legislation | Census Act 1948 |
| Landmark Case | Indra Sawhney v. UOI (1992) — 50% ceiling |
Mnemonic: CASTE
- C — Census Act 1948 (governing legislation)
- A — Article 340 (backward classes commission)
- S — Sawhney (Indra Sawhney — 50% ceiling)
- T — Two phases (Housing + Population Enumeration)
- E — Enumeration includes caste data in Phase 2
Practice Quiz
Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
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