The Independent Expert Working Group (IEWG) has asserted that the State government’s Social, Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste survey is based on robust methodology and empirical data, using 42 parameters to assess backwardness.

IEWG vice-chairman Kancha Ilaiah, member-convenor Praveen Chakravarthy and others said the findings were the result of a rigorous exercise and could serve as a model for other States. The survey covered over 3.5 crore people across 242 castes, spanning 75 data fields, with OBCs comprising 56.4% of the population, followed by SCs (17.4%), STs (10.4%) and OCs (11.9%).