Individuals may opt out of caste, but the system may not reciprocate, says IEWG study

The Socio, Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste (SEEEPC) survey, the first of its kind conducted by the State government, has thrown up interesting questions related to caste as an identity.

With over 1.2 million persons (3.4% population) identifying themselves under ‘No Caste’, the study claims that this act of disavowal did not automatically remove them from the logic of caste. Although they were administratively placed under the OC (general caste) category, over 43% still possessed caste certificates. “This reflects a key tension: caste may be voluntarily relinquished at the level of personal identity, but its institutional presence persists through records, eligibility conditions and social interactions.”