India's Census 2027 to Include Caste Question With Open-Ended Format

India's upcoming Census 2027 will feature 40 questions, including a notable question on caste identity. Unlike Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, all other communities will face an open-ended, fill-in-the-blank format for the caste question. Experts argue that a dropdown menu with predefined options would be more accurate and easier to process. However, implementing such a structured format would require considerable preparatory work and consensus-building. The debate highlights the administrative and social complexities of capturing caste data at a national scale.