Sanskrit speakers in Census of India

[Walter Slaje]

 "Stella Sandahl" <mailto:ssandahl at SYMPATICO.CA> schrieb:

> According to the Census of India figures for Sanskrit speakers I have 
> collected there are some strange figures:

> 1991-2001     -71.5 % decrease

> How come 35,601 Sanskrit speakers disappeared between 1991 and 
> 2001? Does anyone have an idea?

The first thing to do should be to call the statistical evidence into question: The census is a matter of statistics.  What do we know about the methodologically sound background of  the 1991-2001 survey? What gives you implicit trust in those figures? Can manipulation be ruled out with certainty? Seeking the support of an independent social scientist with an intimate knowledge of the survey criteria applied during this period as well as the presentation of some hard facts concerning the actual training, the qualification and the reliability of the staff acting on the spot  / "in the field" and their methods of interpretation would certainly be revealing. Yet, basic prerequisites of that sort are clearly unachievable today, so any "idea" about the alleged "disappearance", which may or may not be true,  means juggling with figures and will remain confined to a sphere of  mere speculation.

Best,

WS

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Prof. Dr. Walter Slaje
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Tel/Fax: +49-(0)3643 501391
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Seminar für Indologie
Institut für Altertumswissenschaften
Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg
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walter.slaje at indologie.uni-halle.de
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