The Socio-Economic and Educational Survey in Bengaluru, aimed at identifying backward classes for inclusive development, is facing significant resistance, with over 15% of households refusing to participate and entire apartment complexes barring enumerators. In areas like Banashankari, where only two out of 30 flats cooperated, government surveyors are encountering apathy, hostility, and logistical challenges, stalling progress on a critical state initiative.

Enumerators report repeated visits—up to four or five times—to uncooperative households, only to face closed doors or verbal abuse. “Your government has no job, and neither do you—that’s why you trouble us,” one resident reportedly snapped at an enumerator. This sentiment is particularly strong among non-native residents of Karnataka, who appear less invested in the state’s developmental goals. The survey, mandated to fulfill a decades-old Supreme Court directive to identify backward classes, has completed less than 40% of its work in Bengaluru, prompting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to extend the deadline from October 24 to October 31, with a brief pause from October 21 to 23 for Deepavali.

Technical issues, including mid-survey software changes and glitches, have further hampered progress, compounding the frustration of enumerators tasked with this monumental effort. “We are only doing our job,” one surveyor lamented, highlighting the emotional toll of facing rejection and insults. The lack of cooperation not only delays the survey but also undermines its purpose of fostering equitable development through accurate socio-economic data.

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Justice Nagamohan Das, emphasizing the survey’s importance, urged citizens to participate, stating, “This is a survey for inclusive development. Participation is a civic duty.” As Bengaluru navigates this challenging phase of data collection on October 20, 2025, the resistance underscores a broader disconnect between civic responsibility and public perception, threatening the state’s ability to address systemic inequalities effectively.

The extended deadline and festive break offer a window for renewed efforts, but the success of the survey hinges on greater public cooperation. Without it, Bengaluru risks stalling a process vital to shaping a more inclusive future for Karnataka.

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