‘No Child To Be Identified By Caste’: Himachal Pradesh Removes Caste Column From School Admission Forms 

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed that the caste column be removed from school admission forms from the 2027-28 academic session, saying the move is aimed at reducing caste-based discrimination and promoting equality and fraternity among students. The decision was announced during a meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Caste Welfare Board (HPSCWB) on Wednesday.

Sukhu said the state government was committed to eliminating caste-based discrimination from society and that removing caste details from school admission forms would be a step towards addressing casteism at the grassroots level. He said children should not be identified by their caste in schools.

The Chief Minister, however, clarified that the decision would not prevent eligible students from Scheduled Castes and other socially and educationally backward sections from accessing government welfare schemes. Such students would continue to be able to provide the required caste-related information through their parents or guardians wherever it is necessary to avail themselves of government benefits.

The decision was taken while Sukhu chaired the meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Caste Welfare Board. During the meeting, issues related to the welfare and development of Scheduled Caste communities were also discussed. State Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dhani Ram Shandil said the government was implementing various schemes aimed at the social and economic upliftment of disadvantaged sections.

Himachal Pradesh Education Secretary Rakesh Kanwar said the Education Department would formulate a detailed policy and mechanism to implement the Chief Minister's decision. He said the policy would take into account the need to ensure that no eligible child is deprived of government-sponsored welfare schemes because caste details are no longer part of the regular school admission form.

The move is expected to require changes in school admission procedures and related records. While caste details would not be sought as a routine part of school admission, the information would remain accessible through an appropriate mechanism wherever it is legally or administratively required for welfare benefits.

Sukhu said the decision was intended to promote a sense of equality among children from the beginning of their schooling. The government has framed the measure as part of its broader effort to address caste-based discrimination and strengthen social harmony in the state.

The decision comes at a time when caste-related information continues to play a role in accessing reservation and welfare benefits in India. The Himachal Pradesh government has said that removing the caste column from school admission forms will not affect the eligibility of students entitled to such benefits, with a separate mechanism to collect the necessary information where required.