Bengaluru, 8 June

A provision has been made to continue the survey for gathering the empirical data, aimed at providing internal reservation among Scheduled Castes (SCs) in Karnataka, at the 9,400 state level 'citizen centric services' centers from 9 to 22 June, the commission overseeing the survey said.

With about 10 per cent of the survey yet to be completed and amid requests for time extension, the commission headed by retired judge of the Karnataka High Court H N Nagmohan Das, who has been tasked to recommend to the government the internal reservation among SCs, has made this announcement.

"Currently, the 'Comprehensive Survey of the Scheduled Castes-2025', is being carried out across the state of Karnataka from 5 April onwards in 2 modes at special camps and online self-declarations. As of date i.e., 6 June an overall progress of 90 per cent has been achieved in the survey across the state," an official release dated 7 June that was released to media on Sunday said.

It said about 10 per cent of the caste survey is yet to be completed. In addition to this, some Scheduled Caste organisations have once again submitted representations, requesting for time extension to complete the said survey.

The commission, however, pointed out that in the wake of the schools reopening in the state, the teachers who were appointed as enumerators for the survey have been relieved from the survey work.

"Thus, in order to facilitate the continuation of the SC castes' survey for those Scheduled Castes' households of Karnataka, who are yet to submit their data in the Scheduled Caste Survey, a provision has been made to carry out the same at the existing 9,400 state level 'citizen centric services' centers, such as , "Karnataka One", "Bengaluru One" and "Grama One" and also at the 198 "BBMP ward offices", from 9 June to 22 June," it said.

In order to submit the required information, the Aadhaar card or ration card of the citizen is required, it further said, adding that a separate camp will be set up at each of the 198 Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) ward offices, to carry out this survey.

According to officials, the SC population in the state according to the 2011 census was 1.04 crore. In 2025, the projected SC population will be 1.16 crore and out of this 1.05 crore, have been enumerated.

Apart from this, the same facility for the survey will also be provided at the Bapuji Seva Kendras, across the state. To enter the said information at the centres, the citizen's Aadhaar card or the ration card number is required.

Further, the time limit for Scheduled Caste families for submitting online self declaration has also been extended up to 22 June. This can be done through the link: https:chedulecastesurvey.karnataka.gov.in/selfdeclaration.

As per the government orders earlier and the terms of references, the Commission has to obtain empirical data regarding the representation of the 101 Scheduled Castes' in education and government services in the state of and has to submit a report with suitable recommendations on internal reservation (sub-categorization) of the Scheduled Castes.

A section of SCs, like 'SC Left', have been demanding internal reservation, alleging that only a few influential sub-castes were taking away a majority of the benefits, while many communities were still marginalised.

The internal reservation is aimed at slicing up the 17 per cent reservation matrix given to 101 Scheduled Castes.

The government, in November last year, had appointed Nagmohan Das to head a commission to recommend internal reservation among SCs, after the Supreme Court last year allowed the states to provide internal reservation, and the state cabinet agreed to implement internal reservation.

In a landmark verdict delivered by the Supreme Court on 1 August last year, it held that states are constitutionally empowered to make sub-classifications within the SCs, which form a socially heterogeneous class, for granting reservation for the uplift of castes that are socially and educationally more backward.