Bengaluru, May 17 (UNI) The Karnataka government has extended the deadline for its ongoing door-to-door survey aimed at collecting empirical data on internal reservation among Scheduled Castes (SCs), Commission Chairman and retired High Court judge HN Nagmohan Das announced on Saturday.

Initially slated to conclude on May 17, the survey will now continue until May 25, following requests from community leaders and organisations seeking more time to ensure full participation, especially from marginalised sections within the SC community.

Addressing reporters, Justice Das said the data collection, which began on May 5, had already covered 72 per cent of the target households.

"We had technical issues in the beginning, but they have been resolved. The progress so far is better than expected, and with the extension, we are confident of achieving 100 per cent coverage," he said.

Karnataka is conducting the survey after the Supreme Court last year permitted states to sub-classify SCs to ensure equitable distribution of reservation benefits. The state government had appointed a commission led by Justice Das in November 2023 to study internal disparities within the SC population.

With an estimated 25.72 lakh SC households in the state, the survey aims to inform a possible redistribution of the existing 17 per cent SC quota among 101 recognised sub-castes. The move comes amid longstanding demands from groups such as the 'SC Left', who allege that dominant sub-castes monopolise most benefits.

Justice Das highlighted challenges in the field, including reluctance among some respondents to reveal caste details and confusion over sub-caste classification. He said the commission had shared details of its electronic data collection method with the Centre, describing the approach as "unique" in the country.

To accommodate those left out during the household visits, special registration camps will be organised from May 26 to 28. An online self-declaration facility will also be available between May 19 and 28.

The decision to conduct the fresh survey was taken by the state cabinet on March 27 based on the commission’s interim report, which found earlier data insufficient for scientific classification.

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