India's Census Set to Reveal Caste Divide in the Country

India's government plans to include caste in the national census, a move aimed at addressing the country's rigid caste system, which divides Hindus into rigid categories based on birth and descent. This system is seen as a major obstacle to India's modernization and has led to economic disparities between upper and lower castes. The government hopes to use fresh data to persuade those in higher strata to support progress for those below them. The census, originally scheduled for 2021, was delayed by the Covid pandemic.