Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced on Wednesday that the caste column would be removed from school admission forms from the next academic session. The move, he said, would help eliminate caste-based discrimination and promote a sense of equality and fraternity among children.

The announcement was made while chairing a meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Caste Welfare Board in Shimla. Sukhu said the state government was committed to eliminating caste-based discrimination and fostering fraternity and equality. He added that removing the caste column would prevent children from developing a sense of inferiority based on caste.