The Britisher introduced the decennial Census System in 1870s, in order to collect and present information regarding the Indian population. Though this statistical information is of great demographic importance, it provided yet another chance for the Britishers to pursue their "Divide and Rule Policy". Census reports threw light on the numerical strength of each caste and religious group and their relative social status. Various ambitious castes quickly perceived the chances of raising their status through the census. They organized conferences of their members and formed councils to take step to see that their status was recorded in "honorable" manner. The census system thus contributed to sharpen the caste consciousness. The census-reporter for Madras wrote as early as in 1911 that the census had witnessed as extra ordinary revival of the caste-spirit in certain aspects. Numerous caste "sabhas" sprang up, each keen to assert the dignity of the social group which it represented. The total result of the census has been a livening up og the caste spirit. The grading of the caste groups in the census has provided a good rallying point for each caste to preserve the caste spirit.
