The Indian Association of People’s Lawyers (IAPL) has urged the Centre to include a separate ‘No Caste, No Religion’ (NRNC) category in the upcoming Census 2027, arguing that citizens who do not identify with any caste or religion should be able to have their choice officially recognised.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the IAPL said the absence of such an option in official records had resulted in individuals being assigned identities they did not claim, particularly in birth registration, school admissions and other government processes.
The organisation said the Census has evolved over the decades to recognise newer categories, citing the inclusion of disability-related questions in 2001 and transgender identity in 2011. It noted that caste enumeration, which was discontinued after 1951 except for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, has also been brought back for Census 2027 following demands from across the country.
The IAPL said people who do not follow any religion or identify with a caste have existed in Indian society for centuries, but their identity has not been formally recognised by the Census or several other government institutions.
The statement also cited a series of court cases in Telangana concerning the issue. It added that the Telangana government’s 2024 comprehensive caste survey provided NRNC option following a High Court order. “Around 3.4% of Telangana population, which means around 11.96 lakh people, were recorded under the category,” it said.
Published – September 06, 2026 08:04 pm IST
