The government has decided not to include caste as one of the parameters in the 2011 census, a demand made by several regional parties.

"Caste will not be included in the 2011 census," Home Secretary Gopal K Pillai said.

Parties like PMK, RJD, JD(U) and a few others had demanded in the past inclusion of caste in the decennial census, especially the survey focusing on Other Backward Castes to buttress their demand for OBC reservation.

Besides, West Bengal's Left Front government is the lone state government to have made a representation to the Central government asking for a caste-based census.

Groups like OBC Employees' Welfare Association, Tamil Nadu, Most Backward Class Officers and Employees' Association, Patna, National Social Justice Forum (Haryana unit) and All India Other Backward Classes Employees in Indian Ordnance and Ordnance Equipment Factories Welfare Association, Tiruchirappalli had requested the Home Ministry for including caste as one of the parameters in 2011.

The office of the Registrar General of India that oversees the census exercise, comes under the Home Ministry.