Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the merit-based system in India, calling it “deeply flawed” and “unfair”, particularly towards Dalits, other backward classes (OBCs), and tribals.

During an interaction with Professor Sukhadeo Thorat, an academic known for his work on caste and social justice, Gandhi argued that merit is often confused with privilege.

Rahul Gandhi expressed his views on the issue, saying, "There is a completely flawed concept of merit where I confuse my social position with my capability. For anybody to say that our education system or our bureaucratic entry systems are fair to Dalits, OBCs (Other Backward Castes), and tribals - that's just complete fallacy."

Rahul Gandhi also stressed the importance of a caste census to reveal the truth about inequality and discrimination. Referring to Dr BR Ambedkar’s historic Mahad Satyagraha, he posted on X (formerly Twitter): "The fight for share that began 98 years ago continues. On 20 March 1927, Babasaheb Ambedkar directly challenged caste discrimination through the Mahad Satyagraha. This was not just a fight for the water right, but also for equality and respect."

The Congress leader believes that a caste census is essential to bring inequality to light. He criticised those opposing the census, stating, "The caste census is a crucial step toward bringing 'inequality to light, while its opponents seek to suppress this truth'."