Big task: Will caste survey meet the deadline in Bengaluru?

BENGALURU: With each enumerator assigned to survey between 283 and 300 households within 15 days, and over 32 lakh homes to be covered across Bengaluru for the socio-economic and educational survey (popularly called caste survey ), concerns are mounting over whether the exercise can meet its 15-day deadline. Given that enumerators reportedly take about 45 minutes per household, coupled with recurring technical issues, the pace of progress has become a major point of discussion. The survey, which began on Saturday, saw a slow start across the city owing to technical glitches, long travel distances, protests from enumerators, and a lack of familiarity with the application interface. By the end of the first day, only 22,141 surveys had been completed across the five corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority limits. Speaking to The New Indian Express, Girija, an enumerator, sharing her experience on the second day, said, On the first day, it took 35 to 45 minutes as we were still getting used to the app. By the second day, I could work a little faster, but at least 30 minutes per household is needed in the most ideal situation. She added that meeting the target is possible if there are no technical or health issues during the survey. A field officer supervising a ward, however, pointed out that several enumerators had not yet received their login credentials, preventing them from beginning work. The target is achievable, provided people are available at home and ready to answer, he said. Former Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC) director D Rajasekhar told The New Indian Express that enumerators would gradually develop expertise as the survey progresses. Initially, it may take 45 minutes per household, but with experience, that time will reduce, he said. He, however, cautioned that data quality could suffer if enumerators continue facing technical or logistical challenges. Stressing the importance of a well-designed questionnaire, he said, Designing a questionnaire is an artful process. It should have four essential components: logic, sequencing, easily understandable questions, and interviewers trained to translate and convey questions clearly in a way respondents can grasp. He further said that it should balance logic, sequencing, and clarity, and be tested for timing and comfort. We usually classify questions as nice to have, important, or critical, and drop the first two when time is limited, he added. Meanwhile, there have been alleged instances of students being used for conducting the survey in parts of Bengaluru. However, there is no confirmation from official sources on the same.