Statistics and Statecraft: Tracing the evolution of D 2 , Random Sampling and Planning in Postcolonial India

Abstract

During India’s transition from a colonial mode of governance, we investigate the emer- gence of a statistically driven statecraft in the post-colonial state. We accomplish this by observing the evolution of large-scale sampling techniques, the transformation of state bureaucracies, and the adoption of Big science computing technologies during the Cold War to tabulate and process the large NSS data sets. A team of scientists at ISI developed and planned surveys to cater to the specific conditions of India’s diverse demography, which led to rapid development/refinement in statistical techniques during this time. We investigate these developments and emphasize the importance of this era in the general development of statistics through the evolution of D 2 statistics. In our attempt, we trace the journey of statistics from the anthropological surveys to the to jute surveys for the state of Bengal to the planning growth of national income for the government of India. To understand how statistics gained legitimacy as a vital tool for planning during the Nehru-Mahalanobis era, it becomes necessary to identify key figures involved in various committees formed during this time. Finally, we investigate the operations of multiple institutes that arose during the process of establishing a digital ecosystem that enabled informed policy making in the post-colonial state and outline the significance of these institutes in facilitating a smooth transition into digitization.