Chain (caste)

The Chain is a agrarian caste, found mainly in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. They have traditionally been associated with cultivation and fishery.

West Bengal

In West Bengal, although the Chain community is widely dispersed through the state, the Government granted Scheduled Castes (SC) status only to Chain members in four districts: Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia and Dakshin Dinajpur. Accordingly, the Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 specifically reported the Chain only in these locations. The total Chain population in West Bengal is about 3.23 lakhs as of 2011 census. The National Commission for Scheduled Castes was reported in 2015 to be initiating a process to extend SC status to the community throughout West Bengal.

References

  1. ↑ Mitra, A.; Census Operations and Joint Development Commissioner, Indian Civil Service Superintendent (1953). Land and Land Revenue Department (ed.). The Tribes and Castes of West Bengal (PDF). Census 1951: WEST BENGAL. Alipore, West Bengal: West Bengal Government Press. p. 77. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  2. 1 2 Indo-Asian News Service, (IANS) (10 March 2015). "Panel wants SC status for Chain community across Bengal". Business Standard India. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  3. ↑ Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Department of Social Justice & Empowerment Plan Division (2018). Handbook on social welfare statistics (PDF). New Delhi: Government of India. p. 101. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  4. ↑ "India - A-10 Appendix: District wise scheduled caste population (Appendix), West Bengal - 2011". censusindia.gov.in. Archived from the original on 12 December 2025. Retrieved 24 June 2026.