Bihar releases caste census: OBCs, EBCs together account for 63% of total population

News Network

October 2, 2023

The much-awaited results of the caste survey conducted by the Nitish Kumar government is finally out. The Extremely Backward Classes are the largest social segment in Bihar, with a population of 36% of the total, followed by the Other Backward Classes who constitute 27.13%.

Together, the two groups comprise 63% of the state's total population, which stood at a little over 13.07 crore. The general category comprises 15.52% of the total.

The data of the survey was released by state development commissioner Vivek Singh. The survey revealed that the Yadavs, the OBC group to which deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav belongs, are the largest in terms of population, accounting for 14.27 per cent of the total.

According to the data, Hindus comprise 81.99 per cent of the population, Muslims 17.7 per cent, Christians 0.05 per cent, Sikhs 0.01 per cent, Buddhists 0.08 per cent and other religions 0.12 per cent.

Kushwaha and Kurmi communities form 4.27 per cent and 2.87 per cent of the population, the caste survey said. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar belongs to the Kurmi community.

The Nitish government had ordered the survey last year after the Narendra Modi government at the Centre made it clear that it would not be able to undertake a headcount of castes other than SCs and STs as part of the census.

The BJP had accused the state government of using the survey to whip up caste tensions and make political gains in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and state assembly elections due in 2025.

The move had been challenged both in the high court and the Supreme Court.

In the Supreme Court, the Centre had argued that only the central government is empowered to coduct census or any other action akin to census.

Nitish Kumar had maintained that the state is not conducting a caste census but only collecting information related to people's economic status and their caste so specific steps could be taken by the government to serve them better.

Nitish Kumar had on August 25 announced that the survey has been completed and data will be made public soon.

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Mangaluru: 12,500 healthcare students rally for organ donation and nasha mukth Bharat

coastaldigest.com news network

November 29,2025

Mangaluru, Nov 29: Around 12,500 healthcare students from Medical, Dental, AYUSH, Pharmacy, Nursing, Physiotherapy and Allied Health Sciences colleges of Dakshina Kannada, affiliated to Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), took part in a massive walkathon to promote awareness on Organ Donation and Nasha Mukth Bharat.

The inaugural ceremony was held at Mangala Stadium. Dr Bhagavan B C, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of RGUHS, delivered the welcome address. The walkathon was flagged off by Shri U T Khader, Hon’ble Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, and presided over by Shri Dinesh Gundu Rao, Hon’ble Minister for Health, Family Welfare and Dakshina Kannada District In-charge. Dakshina Kannada MP Shri Brijesh Chowta also addressed the students.

Music director Guru Kiran, MLA Dr Bharat Shetty (Mangalore North), Police Commissioner Shri Sudheer Kumar Reddy, Shri Manjunath Bhandary and Shri Harish Kumar were among those present.

Institution heads including Dr Haji U K Monu (Kanachur Colleges), Dr Shantharam Shetty (Tejaswini College), Dr Bhaskar Shetty (City Group of Colleges), Mr Abdul Rahiman (Kanachur Institute of Medical Sciences), and the District Health Officer, Mangalore, also participated.

The vote of thanks was delivered by Prof U T Ifthikar Fareed, Syndicate Member, RGUHS.

The event was organised by Dr U T Ifthikar Ali and Dr Shiva Sharan (Syndicate Members), Prof Vaishali (Senate Member), Prof Mohammad Suhail (Chairman, BOS Physiotherapy), Dr Sharan Shetty (Former Senate Member), along with principals and faculty of various colleges.

Students marched from Mangala Stadium to Karavali Grounds via MCC and Lalbagh signal. The event set a record as one of the largest gatherings of healthcare students for a social cause in the RGUHS Dakshina Kannada Zone.

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