Topic: Social empowerment
1. Transparency in collecting and sharing caste census and caste-related data will promote informed policymaking and social justice leading to empowerment of backward classes. Examine. (250 words)
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Indian Express
Why the question:
The article discusses the importance of including caste data in official counts and how it is crucial for honest politics in India.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about benefits of collecting caste-based data in census and its role in empowering backward classes.
Directive word:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must investigate the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context of caste-based census in India.
Body:
In the first part, discuss the pros of caste-based census – lack of accurate data related to many affirmative action programmes of the government, helpful in the debate related to reservation policy, targeted poverty reduction programmes etc
Next, Discuss the cons of caste-based census – creates chasms within society, historical apprehensions etc.
Next, write about how the above data can be used for empowerment of backward classes.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
