Caste Census Begins In Bengaluru Amidst Protests From Enumerators
As many as 17,500 government employees drawn from different departments have been appointed as enumerators of the survey.
By Anil Gejji
Published : October 4, 2025 at 3:53 PM IST
|Updated : October 4, 2025 at 6:40 PM IST
Bengaluru: The Socio-economic and educational survey began in Bengaluru on Saturday, amidst protests from enumerators at a few places over areas allotted to them for the survey.
As many as 17,500 government employees drawn from different departments have been appointed as enumerators of the survey. With over 50.57 lakh households to be covered in the survey in the Greater Bengaluru Region, comprising five city corporations, each evaluator has been given a target of covering 15-20 households a day.
On the first day of the survey, several evaluators staged a protest at GBA's Malleshwaram office, claiming they had been allotted faraway areas for the survey, overlooking 10 options they had provided before the survey. "Before the start of the survey, we were asked to specify areas of our preferences. Accordingly, we had given 10 options. But none of them have been considered, and we have been asked to survey in far-off places," Mahesh, an enumerator, said.
Some enumerators have also sought leave from the survey on health grounds, while some expressed their inability to cover 15-10 days in a day. "Each household has to answer sixty questions, and it would take at least one hour. Such being the case, it is difficult to cover 15 houses a day," said Manjunath, another enumerator.
The survey, which started from September 22 across the state except in Bengaluru, has already covered 65% of households. As per the earlier deadline, the survey is supposed to end by October 7, but the deadline is expected to be extended at least by 10 days, considering that still 40% households need to be covered.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar voiced concerns over a large number of questions being asked during the survey and asked enumerators to omit some questions.
When enumerators visited his house today to collect details of his family, Shivakumar expressed his displeasure over the extensive questionnaire, specifically questions about properties and livestock.
"There are about 60 questions, which I think are too many. I had not seen the questionnaire. Normally people, especially in Bengaluru, may not have the patience to answer all these questions. So I have asked the enumerators to drop some questions," he said.
He also took objections to questions seeking details of jewellery and livestock an household owns. "These questions are not necessary to ask for people in Bengaluru. In the village it is okay. So I did not answer those questions," he said.
However, he appealed to Bengalureans to actively participate in the survey and provide all details patiently. It will help the state government to do justice to all communities, he maintained.
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