diff --git a/db/files.go b/db/files.go
index d1c7b18..572ca80 100644
--- a/db/files.go
+++ b/db/files.go
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ stores the functions related to file IO
 */
 import (
 	"log"
+
+	"github.com/thewhitetulip/Tasks/types"
 )
 
 // AddFile is used to add the md5 of a file name which is uploaded to our application
@@ -43,14 +45,14 @@ func GetFileName(token string) (string, error) {
 
 //GetCategories will return the list of categories to be
 //rendered in the template
-func GetCategories() []string {
-	stmt := "select name from category"
+func GetCategories() []types.CategoryCount {
+	stmt := "select c.name, count(*) from  category c left outer join task t  where c.id = t.cat_id   group by name    union     select name, 0  from category where name not in (select distinct name from task t join category c on t.cat_id = c.id)"
 	rows := database.query(stmt)
-	var categories []string
-	var category string
+	var categories []types.CategoryCount
+	var category types.CategoryCount
 
 	for rows.Next() {
-		err := rows.Scan(&category)
+		err := rows.Scan(&category.Name, &category.Count)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Println(err)
 		}
diff --git a/public/static/css/styles.css b/public/static/css/styles.css
index 39cb469..c1fc1f6 100644
--- a/public/static/css/styles.css
+++ b/public/static/css/styles.css
@@ -17,6 +17,12 @@ ul{
     list-style-type: none;
 }
 
+.badge{
+  background-color: #7D8EF0;
+  margin-right:10px;
+  float:right;
+}
+
 .center{
   text-align:center;
 }
diff --git a/templates/_head.html b/templates/_head.html
index 7f72ecd..438e3dd 100644
--- a/templates/_head.html
+++ b/templates/_head.html
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@
                             
                             {{ range $index, $cat := .Categories }}
                             <li class="sidebar-item">
-								<a href="/category/{{$cat}}" {{ if eq  $cat $nav }} class="active" {{end}}> <span class="glyphicon glyphicon-stop"></span>  <span class="nav-item"> {{$cat}}</span></a>
+								<a href="/category/{{$cat.Name}}" {{ if eq  $cat.Name $nav }} class="active" {{end}}> <span class="glyphicon glyphicon-stop"></span>  <span class="nav-item"> {{$cat.Name}}</span> <span class="badge pull-right">{{$cat.Count}}</span></a>
 							</li>
                             {{end}}
 						</ul>
diff --git a/templates/edit.html b/templates/edit.html
index 10fc37d..3633676 100644
--- a/templates/edit.html
+++ b/templates/edit.html
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@
            Category:
             <select name="category">
                 <option>---</option>
-                {{range $cat :=   $categories}}
-                    <option value="{{$cat}}" {{if eq $cat $task.Category}} selected="true"  {{end}}> {{$cat}} </option> 
+                {{range $index, $cat :=   $categories}}
+                    <option value="{{$cat.Name}}" {{if eq $cat.Name $task.Category}} selected="true"  {{end}}> {{$cat.Name}} </option> 
                 {{end}}
             </select>
       </div>
diff --git a/types/types.go b/types/types.go
index 65ea8a7..12a495c 100644
--- a/types/types.go
+++ b/types/types.go
@@ -21,5 +21,14 @@ type Context struct {
 	Search     string
 	Message    string
 	CSRFToken  string
-	Categories []string
+	Categories []CategoryCount
+}
+
+//CategoryCount is the struct used to populate the sidebar
+//which contains the category name and the count of the tasks
+//in each category
+
+type CategoryCount struct {
+	Name  string
+	Count int
 }