Telangana's Caste Dynamics: A Closer Look at Backward Classes

An expert group observing the results of a caste survey conducted by the Congress government in Telangana during 2024-25 has revealed significant disparities among the state's communities. The Independent Expert Working Group (IEWG), headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice B Sudershan Reddy, found 135 of the 242 castes to be more backward than the average Comprehensive Backwardness Index (CBI) score.

The IEWG's analysis indicates that Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes face even greater challenges, being 'three times more backward' compared to their General Caste counterparts. Despite the survey being completed in 2024-25, the Telangana Socio-Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste (SEEEPC) survey-2024 results were only released recently by the state government.

Key findings showed that Backward Classes are 2.7 times more backward than the General Castes, with the state's average CBI score standing at 81. Of the 135 most backward castes, 69 are Backward Classes, 41 are Scheduled Castes, and 25 are Scheduled Tribes. These groups comprise 67 percent of the total population, while more privileged General Castes account for 12 percent at a lower CBI score.