Bihar government releases caste-based survey: EBCs highest in number

Patna: The Bihar government released the much-awaited caste-based survey on the day of Mahatma Gandhi’s Jayanti on Monday.

As per the report, Bihar has a population of over 13 crore people, of which the Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) comprise 36.01 per cent of the population, the Other Backward Classes (OBC) 27 per cent, Scheduled Castes 19.65 per cent, Scheduled Tribes 1.68 per cent, while the Upper Castes constitute 15.52 per cent of the population. Among the Backward Classes, Yadavs constitute 14.26 per cent of the population while the Kushwahas and Kurmis are 4.27 per cent and 2.87 per cent, respectively.

The caste-based survey was passed in both Houses of the Bihar Vidhan Mandal last year and every political party gave consent for it.

However, some groups and individuals approached the Patna High Court and Supreme Court against it. But after the top court cleared the decks for it, the survey was completed.

The report further said that the Hindu community constituted 81.9 per cent of the population of Bihar, Muslims 17.7 per cent, Christians 0.05 per cent, Sikhs 0.01 per cent, Buddhists 0.08 per cent, Jains 0.0096 per cent and other religions 0.12 per cent.

As far as major castes are concerned, the upper castes constitute 15.52 per cent, including Bhumihars at 2.86 per cent, Brahmins at 3.66 per cent, Rajputs at 3.45 per cent and Kayasthas 0.60 per cent.

Besides, Kurmis are 2.87 per cent, Mushar are 3 per cent, Yadavs are 14.26 per cent, Kushwaha 4.27 per cent, Kurmis 2.87 per cent, Chandravanshis 1.64 per cent, Dhanuk 2.13 per cent, Dhobi 0.83 per cent, Naayi 1.59 per cent, Nonia 1.91 per cent, Kumhar 1.40 per cent, Pasi (Paswan) 0.98 per cent, Badhai 1.45 per cent, Lohar 0.15 per cent, Sonar 0.68 per cent, halwai 0.60 per cent, Aghori 0.069 per cent, Adrakhi 0.02 per cent, Abdal 0.0087 per cent, Amat 0.21 per cent, Asur, 0.059 per cent, Awadh Bania 0.03 per cent and Muslim Darji 0.25 per cent.