The total population of the Nair community is disputed, since there has been no caste-based census since 1931. The administrators of the British Raj had an abiding interest in ethnography but in post-independence India the policy has been generally to ignore it in censuses.[1][2]
The 1968 Socio-Economic Survey by the Government of Kerala stated that the population of the Nair community comprised 14.41% of the total state population. However, various sources cite figures ranging from 12% to 20%.[3][4][5][6] There is also the practical difficulty of certain Nair subcastes declaring themselves as independent castes. Out of the citizens eligible to vote in Kerala, around 12% or 15% belong to the Nair community.[7]
The Nair population historically and currently remains concentrated in the capital districts. The Nair population in Trivandrum and Ernakulam districts has been increasing since the beginning of 19th century.[8]
The Nair population has been declining in Kerala, with some districts having only a small percentage of Nairs. For example, Malappuram has a Nair population of 1.8%, and Kasargode has about 2.1%.[9]
The most reliable population figures comes from two sources. The BCRC estimated Nair population at 14.47% of the total population of Kerala based on a statewide sample survey conducted for the reservation of seats in educational institutions.
Population estimates edit
Household sample surveys conducted by the Kerala Statistical Institute, the last of which were in 2000[needs update], produced estimates which were:
| District | Total District Population |
Nairs in District | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numbers | % of District Population |
% of Total Nairs in Kerala | ||
| Kasaragod | 1,203,000 | 36,000 | 3.0% | 0.8% |
| Kannur | 2,412,000 | 584,000 | 24.2% | 13.1% |
| Wayanad | 787,000 | 152,000 | 19.3% | 3.4% |
| Kozhikode | 2,878,000 | 504,000 | 17.5% | 11.3% |
| Malappuram | 3,630,000 | 80,000 | 2.2% | 1.8% |
| Palakkad | 2,617,000 | 330,000 | 12.6% | 7.4% |
| Thrissur | 2,975,000 | 223,000 | 7.5% | 5.0% |
| Ernakulam | 3,098,000 | 316,000 | 10.2% | 7.1% |
| Idukki | 1,129,000 | 111,000 | 9.8% | 2.5% |
| Kottayam | 1,953,000 | 227,000 | 11.6% | 5.1% |
| Alappuzha | 2,105,000 | 352,000 | 16.7% | 7.9% |
| Pathanamthitta | 1,232,000 | 174,000 | 14.1% | 3.9% |
| Kollam | 2,584,000 | 793,000 | 30.7% | 17.8% |
| Thiruvananthapuram | 3,235,000 | 575,000 | 17.8% | 12.9% |
| Kerala total | 31,838,000 | 4,457,000 | 14.9% | 100.0% |
References edit
- ^ Blair, Harry W. (1981). "Caste and the British Census in Bihar: Using Old Data to Study Contemporary Political Behavior". In Barrier, Norman Gerald (ed.). The Census in British India: New Perspectives. New Delhi: Manohar. p. 154. ISBN 9780836408478. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
- ^ a b G.O.K 1971: Appendix XVIII : For percentage of Nairs in total population of Kerala, adjusted for decrease due to emigration and low birth rates.Nairs are kshtriya caste.
- ^ [1] Archived 7 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Kerala: Radical Reform as Development in an Indian State (FF, 1994, 140 p.): 11. Women and the Kerala reforms". Nzdl.sadl.uleth.ca. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
- ^ "Kashmir terror trail vanishes in Kerala's political sands .:. newkerala.com Online News". Newkerala.com. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
- ^ Drèze, Jean; Sen, Amartya (2002). India: development and participation - Google Books. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199257492. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
- ^ Rana, Mahendra Singh (2006). India votes: Lok Sabha & Vidhan ... - Google Books. Sarup & Sons. ISBN 9788176256476. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
- ^ Blair, Harry W. (1981). "Caste and the British Census in Bihar: Using Old Data to Study Contemporary Political Behavior". In Barrier, Norman Gerald (ed.). The Census in British India: New Perspectives. New Delhi: Manohar. p. 154. ISBN 9780836408478. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
- ^ Zachariah, Kunniparampil Curien; Mathew, Elangikal Thomas; Rajan, Sebastian Irudaya (2003). Dynamics of migration in Kerala: dimensions, differentials, and consequences. Orient Longman. ISBN 978-81-250-2504-7.
- ^ Zachariah, Kunniparampil Curien; Mathew, Elangikal Thomas; Rajan, Sebastian Irudaya (2003). Dynamics of migration in Kerala: dimensions, differentials, and consequences. Orient Longman. p. 91. ISBN 978-81-250-2504-7.