View source for 2024 Telangana Social Educational Employment Economic Caste Survey

{{Short description|Indian state-wide survey}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2026}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}
{{Infobox event
| title = Telangana 2024 Social Educational Employment Economic Caste Survey
| date =6  November 2024 – December 2024
| location = [[Telangana]], India
| participants = 94,863 enumerators, 9,628 supervisors
| outcome = Covered 96.9% of households, guiding welfare policies
}}

The '''Telangana 2024 Social Educational Employment Economic Caste Survey (SEEEPC)''' was a state-wide initiative by the [[Government of Telangana]] to gather detailed data on caste, education, employment, income, and political engagement. Launched on 6 November 2024, it surveyed 96.9% of households, approximately 1.12{{nbsp}}million, to inform policies for marginalised groups such as [[Backward Classes]], [[Scheduled Castes]], and [[Scheduled Tribes]]. Released on 3 February 2025, the findings showed Backward Classes comprising 56.33% of the population, shaping discussions on social equity and reservations.

== Background ==
The SEEEPC survey was authorised by the [[Telangana Legislative Assembly]] on 16 February 2024, following a Council of Ministers decision on 4 February 2024.<ref name="HinduLaunch">{{cite web |title=Telangana kicks off comprehensive caste survey |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/door-to-door-survey-launched-in-telangana/article68835646.ece |website=The Hindu |date=November 6, 2024 |access-date=May 3, 2025}}</ref> Driven by the [[Indian National Congress]]-led government's commitment to social justice, the survey aimed to address gaps in caste-based data since the [[2011 Census of India]]. Chief minister [[Revanth Reddy]] hailed it as a transformative step, potentially influencing national demographic studies.<ref name="ExpressFindings">{{cite web |title=Telangana survey: Backward Classes dominate population |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/telangana-caste-survey-backward-classes-more-than-half-of-population-9813759/ |website=The Indian Express |date=February 3, 2025 |access-date=May 3, 2025}}</ref>

The initiative sought to create a robust dataset to support targeted welfare programs, focusing on socio-economic and political inclusion for Telangana's 35.4{{nbsp}}million residents.{{or|date=April 2026}}

== Methodology ==
The survey commenced with household visits starting 6 November 2024, inaugurated by Backward Classes Welfare Minister [[Ponnam Prabhakar]] at the [[Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation]] (GHMC) office.<ref name="HinduLaunch" /> Data collection, intensified from 9 November 2024, concluded within 50{{nbsp}}days, reaching 96.9% of households.<ref name="NewKerala">{{cite web |title=Telangana Assembly concludes with survey focus |url=https://www.newkerala.com/news/2025/17391.htm |website=NewKerala.com |date=February 5, 2025 |access-date=May 3, 2025}}</ref>

=== Implementation ===
* '''Scope''': It covered 1.12 million households, totaling 35,477,554 individuals across 94,261 enumeration blocks.
* '''Personnel''': The effort involved 94,863 enumerators, 9,628 supervisors, and 76,000 data entry operators, who digitized records in 36 days.
* '''Tools''': Enumerators used dual-section forms to collect details on caste, religion, income, employment, education, and welfare scheme access.
* '''Oversight''': The state planning department coordinated the process, with nodal officers and Zonal Commissioners ensuring data integrity.<ref name="ExpressFindings" />

=== Obstacles ===
Challenges included 103,000 inaccessible homes, 168,000 reluctant households, and 84,137 incorrectly classified residences. Districts like Jangaon and Mulugu achieved full coverage, while GHMC reached 65%.<ref name="NIEHyderabad">{{cite web |title=Hyderabad survey reaches 8.41 lakh households |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/2024/Nov/17/841-lakh-covered-in-caste-survey-in-hyderabad-municipal-corporation |website=The New Indian Express |date=November 17, 2024 |access-date=May 3, 2025}}</ref>

== Findings ==
Announced on 3 February 2025, the survey's results, submitted to a Cabinet sub-committee, detailed Telangana's demographic composition:<ref name="ExpressFindings" />

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Demographic Breakdown by Caste
! Category !! Percentage !! Population
|-
| [[Backward Classes]] (BC) || 46.33% || 19,985,767
|-
| [[Scheduled Castes]] (SC) || 17.43% || 6,184,319
|-
| [[Scheduled Tribes]] (ST) || 10.45% || 3,705,929
|-
| Other Castes (OC) || 15.79% || 5,421,115
|-
| Muslim Population || 12.56% || 4,457,012
|-
| BC Muslims || 10.08% || 3,576,588
|-
| OC Muslims || 2.48% || —
|}

The data, gathered voluntarily and confidentially, spanned 75 fields, offering a granular view of socio-economic conditions.<ref name="HinduExpert">{{cite web |title=Telangana forms expert panel for survey analysis |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/telangana-government-forms-independent-experts-panel-to-study-socio-economic-survey-data/article69322861.ece |website=The Hindu |date=February 2025 |access-date=May 3, 2025}}</ref>

== Implications ==
Telangana Minister [[N. Uttam Kumar Reddy]] described the survey as a landmark study, unmatched in rigour since India's independence.<ref name="NewKerala" /> An 11{{nbsp}}member expert panel, chaired by former Supreme Court Justice [[B. Sudershan Reddy]], was tasked with analysing the data to recommend policies.<ref name="HinduExpert" />

The results are poised to expand reservation quotas in education, employment, and politics, potentially exceeding the 50% limit, as pushed by Chief Minister Reddy.<ref name="ExpressFindings" /> The survey's approach has fuelled calls for a nationwide caste census, positioning Telangana as a model.<ref name="NIEPanel">{{cite web |title=Experts caution on survey data misuse |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2025/Apr/08/expert-panel-warns-against-selective-interpretation-of-telangana-survey-data |website=The New Indian Express |date=April 8, 2025 |access-date=May 3, 2025}}</ref>

== Reception ==
The survey's rapid execution, covering 841,000 GHMC households by 17 November 2024, earned widespread notice.<ref name="NIEHyderabad" /> It advanced Congress's social justice agenda, though some opposition figures were critiqued for relying on outdated statistics.<ref name="NewKerala" /> The [[Telangana Legislative Assembly]] highlighted the survey's policy potential before adjourning on 5 February 2025.<ref name="NewKerala" />

== See also ==
* [[Caste system in India]]
* [[Reservation in India]]
* [[2011 Census of India]]
* [[2022 Bihar caste-based survey]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.telangana.gov.in/ Government of Telangana Official Website]

{{Telangana topics}}
{{Caste in India}}

[[Category:2020s in Telangana]]
[[Category:Demographics of India]]
[[Category:2024 in India]]
[[Category:Indian castes|*]]