The article discusses the challenges faced by the 2027 caste census in India, where the government's approach of using an open column for caste self-reporting is criticized for producing unusable data.Despite the pre-test phase, the method risks creating a flood of variants that cannot be reliably used for reservation policies or welfare programs.The 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census used a similar open format, resulting in over 46 lakh distinct caste names that were deemed unusable.The current approach fails to address the need for a coded list of caste names, leaving OBCs and other groups unseen.

The article highlights the inconsistency in categorization, where OBCs and General categories are grouped under a single 'Other' bucket, undermining the purpose of the census.Experts suggest a hybrid approach with a coded list and an open field for exceptions, as seen in the U.S.census model.The government's reluctance to adopt such methods raises concerns about the effectiveness of the caste census in informing policy decisions.