Siddaramaiah Says Social and Educational Survey Report To Be Submitted Soon

Bengaluru, February 14, 2026 – Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today announced that the much-anticipated report of the Social and Educational Survey (commonly referred to as the caste census or socio-economic survey) is expected to be submitted to the government shortly, with indications it could arrive by the end of February or early next month.

Speaking in Haveri during an event marking his government's 1,000 days in office, Siddaramaiah emphasized that once the report is received from the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes (KSCBC), the state government would review it and take appropriate decisions to address social inequalities and ensure targeted welfare benefits reach the most marginalized sections.

"The report of the social and educational survey is expected to be submitted to the government shortly," Siddaramaiah stated, adding in related remarks that it would "most likely be submitted by the end of this month or next month." He reiterated the Congress-led administration's commitment to data-driven policies for empowering backward classes, Dalits, minorities, and other disadvantaged groups.

The survey, conducted primarily between September and October 2025 (with extensions in some districts up to late October or November), covered nearly 7 crore people across the state's roughly 2 crore households. It aimed to collect comprehensive data on caste-wise population, socio-economic status, educational attainment, employment, and access to government schemes—marking Karnataka's fresh attempt at a statewide caste enumeration after the previous 2015 survey was not accepted or acted upon by the government.

Earlier updates from Backward Classes Welfare Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi had pegged the submission timeline around late January or by February 10, with data compilation ongoing at the KSCBC. The commission, chaired by Madhusudan R. Naik, has been analyzing the voluminous responses collected during the door-to-door exercise, which involved over 1.2 lakh teachers and additional staff in its final phases.

The initiative has been politically charged since its announcement in mid-2025. The government justified the fresh survey by citing the outdated nature of the 2015 data, while critics, including the BJP, have accused the administration of pursuing the exercise for vote-bank politics and alleged favoritism toward certain communities. Siddaramaiah has consistently defended the move, arguing it is essential for factual assessment of backwardness and equitable distribution of reservations and welfare programs.

The survey's findings are expected to influence future policy decisions on caste-based reservations, sub-categorization within OBCs, and allocation of resources for education, employment, and development schemes. However, any major changes—such as revisions to existing quotas—would require careful deliberation to maintain social harmony, given sensitivities among dominant communities like Lingayats and Vokkaligas.