Muslim will be included for the first time in caste census
The government will conduct caste census to know the exact share of each caste in the society as this will give clear picture of caste exists in India. And this is for the first time, Muslims will be included in the upcoming caste census in India. The government has announced that the census will record caste-wise data for Muslims, not just their religion, to provide a clearer picture of the social and economic status of various Muslim sub-castes-especially the Pasmanda Muslims, who make up over 70% of the Muslim population in India
This move will document the internal caste stratification among Muslims, which has previously gone unrecorded in national censuses. Pasmanda Muslims, who are often socio-economically marginalized, may be officially recognized under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, potentially improving their access to education, employment, and political representation
Muslim will be included for the first time in caste census
However, the government has clarified that while Muslim castes will be recorded, there will be no religion-based reservation; any benefits will be based on backwardness, not religion
This decision is considered significant for policy-making and is expected to influence future reservation policies and social welfare schemes
The caste census is poised to significantly impact the political representation of Pasmanda Muslims in several ways:
- Recognition as OBCs: For the first time, Pasmanda Muslims will be officially enumerated as distinct caste groups, rather than as a single religious bloc. This recognition is expected to facilitate their inclusion in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, making them eligible for reservations in education, government jobs, and political institutions
- Improved Political Representation: Historically, Pasmanda Muslims have been politically underrepresented compared to elite Ashraf Muslims. With disaggregated caste data, political parties and policymakers will have empirical evidence to address this imbalance, potentially leading to increased electoral opportunities, more reserved seats, and greater voice in legislative bodies
- Policy and Reservation Benefits: The census data will inform more targeted reservation policies, ensuring that benefits reach the most marginalized within the Muslim community, such as Ajlafs and Arzals (Pasmanda sub-groups), and not just the dominant Ashraf groups
- Shift in Political Strategies: Political parties, especially the BJP and Congress, are expected to recalibrate their outreach and candidate selection to appeal to Pasmanda Muslims, who constitute over 70% of the Muslim population. This could break the notion of a monolithic “Muslim vote bank” and foster more inclusive representation
Muslim Population in India
We often hear the increasing number of muslim population in India. Let us check out their population share.India’s Muslim population in 2025 is estimated at about 200 million (20 crore), making up roughly 15% of the country’s total population. as per the religion is concerned Islam is the second-largest religion in India after Hinduism.
Muslim population by 2050
By 2050, India is projected to have the world’s largest Muslim population at around 311 million, or 18.4% of the total.. The largest Muslim populations by state are in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Bihar, with nearly 47% of Indian Muslims living in these three state