-Hindustan Times Data analysis of assembly elections results shows that Rajputs increased dominance in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, Brahmins lost share; OBCs take up large chunk of BJP, Cong MLAs. Congress victories over the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the key Hindi belt states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are the biggest political upset since the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. A caste-wise breakup of newly elected MLAs shows that the change in...

Just a few days ahead of the Kisan Mukti March in Delhi NCR, the provisional results of the Agriculture Census 2015-16 became available in the public domain. The report, among other things, highlights the long-term problems affecting Indian agriculture including fragmentation of land holdings (particularly the marginal and small ones) and shrinking average size of farm land. The provisional results of the latest Agriculture Census reveal that at the national level...

-The Indian Express New education report: Muslims, disabled most under-represented. While the proportion of upper-caste students in higher education institutions is still considerably higher than their share in the population, for the first time ever their “erstwhile near-monopoly” is being eroded with their percentage share falling to below 50 per cent over the last few years, according to a study. Advertising All other groups, women, Other Backward Classes (OBC), Scheduled Castes (SC), and...

-The Hindu Why it could impact the results in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh Pundits are busy speculating about winners and losers in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. We will know for sure soon, but do past trends give any insight and is there something new this time? Past trends in both States have been nothing short of dramatic, and this drama has always played out in the tribal reserved constituencies in M.P. Between the...

-The Hindu Occupational identities are competing with caste and religious identities in Madhya Pradesh The political mood of the people in Madhya Pradesh is complex. To understand voting behaviour only through the prism of caste is an outdated method in this State. In fact, occupational identities resonate across caste and religion. Employing the categories of farmers, labourers, government employees, small businessmen, the urban service classes, and so on helps us understand voter...