In a recent state-wide caste census survey, traditional caste-based professionals and nomadic communities feel disregarded, claiming that their professions were either overlooked or removed entirely from the survey forms. This exclusion has left many members of these communities outraged, with complaints surfacing that the government is ignoring their contributions and heritage.
Many groups argue that excluding their caste-based professions undermines an accurate caste census. Traditional craftspeople, such as the Kanchari (brass craftsmen) and Shilpi (stone idol carvers) from the Vishwa Brahmin caste, report that no details of their trades were documented. Additionally, the caste identities of nomadic SC communities like the Beda Budiga Jangalu were also overlooked. Other traditional professions, including Mala Jangam, Mithili Ayyavars, and the Chindu performance artists, were omitted from the survey entirely.
Further omissions in the survey highlight the exclusion of vital BC community professions. The livelihoods of Budabukkala performers, Dasarlu, and the Gangiredlavaru, Jangam, and Katikapara communities, among others, were disregarded. Those practicing heritage crafts like carving and making items in various districts, including Nirmal, Jagtial, Metpalli, and Mahabubnagar, received no mention in the survey. Minority communities such as Dudekulu, Gands, and Are Katika, who also rely on traditional crafts, found no representation in the survey records.
Many within these communities are questioning how the government plans to assess their economic and employment needs without acknowledging their professions. The survey failed to mention Brahmin priests and Munnuru Kapus, who largely pursue agriculture in the state.
The removal of question 45, which previously addressed nomadic tribes, has added to the grievances. Nomadic tribes report that question 45, which existed until recently, was removed from the survey. Many suspect that the government may lack interest in collecting information about nomadic communities, which number 52 castes in the state. These include 35 Most Backward Classes (MBC) castes such as Balasanthu, Bahurupi, Dasari, Dommara, Gangireddu, Jangamjogi, and others.
In 2020, Telangana government had previously recognized 13 nomadic castes within BC (A) and an additional four nomadic castes under separate federations. Muslim communities within the BC (E) group also have unique castes that were omitted, leaving people from some groups without representation in the survey. The elimination of question 45, which could have gathered these details, has become a central issue, with affected communities demanding its reinstatement.