Bihar caste-based survey 2023: (7 Jan 2023 – 31 May 2023) Bihar government releases caste-based survey report.
Bihar Caste Census Population, Religion-wise Population & more
– Bihar has a total population of more than 13 Crores. – The caste census revealed a breakdown of various caste groups in the state.
– Backward classes constitute 27.13% of the population. – Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) make up 36.01% of the population.
– Scheduled Castes represent 19.65% of the population. – Scheduled Tribes account for 1.68% of the population. – The unreserved category comprises 15.52% of the population.
– Around 15.5% of the population belongs to the higher castes. – The Yadav community, also known as Bihar Jati Adharit Ganana, is the largest sub-group among Other Backward Classes (OBCs), making up 14.27% of all OBC categories.
– Yadav: 14.26% – Bhoomihar: 2.87% – Brahman: 3.65% – Koiri: 4.27% – Kurmi: 2.87%
– Kayasth: 0.6% – Mochi, Chamar, Ravidas: 5.2% – Mushar: 3.08% – Rajput: 3.45% – Bania: 2.31% – Mallah: 2.6%
– Hindus make up 81.99% of the state's population. – Muslims constitute 17.70% of the population.
– The state government aims to use this data to benefit and uplift all sections of society. – Chief Minister Nitish Kumar mentioned the challenges faced in conducting the survey but highlighted the unanimous support from major political parties in Bihar.
– The demand for a caste-based census in Bihar was driven by pressure from the INDIA alliance. – There were disagreements within the bloc regarding this demand, particularly due to the Trinamool Congress' refusal to endorse it.
1. Rahul Gandhi expressed the possibility of conducting a similar operation in Madhya Pradesh if the Congress wins the Assembly elections.
This caste-based survey provides essential data for policymakers to formulate targeted policies and programs to address the specific needs of various caste groups in Bihar.