On Tuesday, January 23, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) requested Mumbaikars to cooperate with enumerators by providing necessary information for the Maratha caste and open category survey. The directive to conduct the caste census was issued by the Maharashtra State Commission for Backward Classes.
The Maratha caste survey is scheduled to take place from January 23 to January 31, 2024. BMC officials will visit residential areas in Mumbai to conduct the survey and gather information on the social, educational, and economic backwardness of the Maratha community. Appointed municipal officials and employees have been issued identity cards and the latest software for the survey, as stated by BMC.
The survey's purpose is to collect data that will inform the recommendations of the Maharashtra State Backward Classes Commission (MSBCC) on the contentious issue of Maratha reservation in education and employment. Reservations aimed at uplifting historically disadvantaged communities are a sensitive topic in India and often ignite heated debates.