Tamil Nadu Assembly calls for scrapping open-column caste enumeration method

The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Union government to discontinue the 'Open-Column Method' currently employed in enumerating Backward Classes (BCs), Most Backward Classes (MBCs), and Denotified Communities (DNCs).

Under the existing open-column approach, survey respondents are permitted to self-declare their caste without being constrained by a predetermined list of options. Enumerators record these self-declarations as provided by respondents, a practice the Assembly views as problematic.

The Tamil Nadu government has expressed concerns that this methodology introduces ambiguity and inconsistency into caste enumeration processes. Officials have argued that allowing open-ended responses without standardized categories complicates data collection and analysis for policy-making purposes.

The resolution reflects ongoing debates in Tamil Nadu regarding the administration and accuracy of caste-based census operations. The state has long been at the forefront of implementing reservations and welfare schemes based on caste classifications, making methodological precision a matter of considerable importance for governance and resource allocation.