We've all heard or experienced an argument regarding the issue of the many differences between North Indians and South Indians, and we've all heard different contentions as to which one of the two groups is superior. Most Hindi speaking North Indians see South Indians as a very alien people with respect to their languages and culture. Many North Indians take pride in the fact that North Indians on average are fairer and taller than South Indians. South Indian men are regarded by many in the North as being very effeminate and unmanly.
On the Other hand, South Indians have their own multitude of stereotypes about North Indians. Northerners are regarded as savage, aggressive, rude and utterly uncivilized. Furthermore, many South Indians feel that the average North Indian is much less educated and less intellectually sound than the average South Indian. So which side is actually right? How does North India weigh against South India? Let us analyze this issue in an unbiased and rational manner.
First of all, we take four North Indian States that will be represent the North Indians and we weigh them against the four South Indian States. The four North Indian States we will take are Rajasthan, UP, Punjab and Bihar. We will analyze these states in comparison to their South Indian counterparts, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.
First of all, let's take a look an Economic indicator; the per capita incomes of the states mentioned earlier(the figures are for 2012-2013 unless mentioned otherwise) :
1. UP- 33269
2. Punjab- 88783
3. Bihar- 28317
4. Rajasthan- 53735 (2011-2012)
5. Tamil Nadu- 98550
6. Karnataka- 77015
7. Kerala- 80924 (2011-2012)
8. Andhra Pradesh- 78177
Now, after you have a look at these figures, it becomes clear that the South Indian states far outstrip most of the North Indian states we have selected in terms of per capita income, with the notable exception of Punjab. Thus economically it would seem, the South Indian States have beaten their North Indian counterparts. Now let's move on Literacy rates, which will definitely be a better social indicator of the standing of each of these States(figures are for 2011):
1. UP- 71.7
2. Punjab-79.7
3. Bihar- 63.8
4. Rajasthan- 67.1
5. Tamil Nadu- 80.3
6. Karnataka-75.6
7. Kerala- 87.89
8. Andhra Pradesh- 67.02
The picture becomes less clear after one looks at this data regarding the Literacy rates. The gap between the Literacy rates of South Indian States and North Indian States is not as great as in the case of their per capita incomes. In fact, one South Indian State, Andhra Pradesh has a literacy rate worse than all the North Indian States except for Bihar but it must still be conceded that South Indian States are also ahead as per this indicator. Now let us look at the Life Expectancy in each one of these States(figures are for 2006):
1. UP- 60.0
2. Punjab- 69.4
3. Bihar- 61.6
4. Rajasthan- 62.0
7. Kerala- 74.0
8. Andhra Pradesh- 64.4
Even the Life Expectancy data does not show much disparity between North Indian and South Indian States though even in this case, the South Indian States do have an edge. After analyzing these three socio-economic indicators one can safely reach the conclusion that as of now, the South Indians are doing better on average than the North Indians but this conclusion has to be taken with a pinch of salt. I say this because statistics also show that South Indians are grossly underrepresented in the Armed Forces, they also wield nowhere near the same amount of political and bureaucratic clout as the North Indians in our country. Furthermore, North Indians are culturally far more numerous and dominant. But on the other hand, we also know that the IT industry and the scientific community in India have a much greater proportion of South Indians relative to their population. Thus one has to acknowledge that both these groups have their own spheres of influence and dominance.
On the Other hand, South Indians have their own multitude of stereotypes about North Indians. Northerners are regarded as savage, aggressive, rude and utterly uncivilized. Furthermore, many South Indians feel that the average North Indian is much less educated and less intellectually sound than the average South Indian. So which side is actually right? How does North India weigh against South India? Let us analyze this issue in an unbiased and rational manner.
First of all, we take four North Indian States that will be represent the North Indians and we weigh them against the four South Indian States. The four North Indian States we will take are Rajasthan, UP, Punjab and Bihar. We will analyze these states in comparison to their South Indian counterparts, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.
First of all, let's take a look an Economic indicator; the per capita incomes of the states mentioned earlier(the figures are for 2012-2013 unless mentioned otherwise) :
1. UP- 33269
2. Punjab- 88783
3. Bihar- 28317
4. Rajasthan- 53735 (2011-2012)
5. Tamil Nadu- 98550
6. Karnataka- 77015
7. Kerala- 80924 (2011-2012)
8. Andhra Pradesh- 78177
Now, after you have a look at these figures, it becomes clear that the South Indian states far outstrip most of the North Indian states we have selected in terms of per capita income, with the notable exception of Punjab. Thus economically it would seem, the South Indian States have beaten their North Indian counterparts. Now let's move on Literacy rates, which will definitely be a better social indicator of the standing of each of these States(figures are for 2011):
1. UP- 71.7
2. Punjab-79.7
3. Bihar- 63.8
4. Rajasthan- 67.1
5. Tamil Nadu- 80.3
6. Karnataka-75.6
7. Kerala- 87.89
8. Andhra Pradesh- 67.02
The picture becomes less clear after one looks at this data regarding the Literacy rates. The gap between the Literacy rates of South Indian States and North Indian States is not as great as in the case of their per capita incomes. In fact, one South Indian State, Andhra Pradesh has a literacy rate worse than all the North Indian States except for Bihar but it must still be conceded that South Indian States are also ahead as per this indicator. Now let us look at the Life Expectancy in each one of these States(figures are for 2006):
1. UP- 60.0
2. Punjab- 69.4
3. Bihar- 61.6
4. Rajasthan- 62.0
5. Tamil Nadu- 66.2
6. Karnataka- 65.37. Kerala- 74.0
8. Andhra Pradesh- 64.4
Even the Life Expectancy data does not show much disparity between North Indian and South Indian States though even in this case, the South Indian States do have an edge. After analyzing these three socio-economic indicators one can safely reach the conclusion that as of now, the South Indians are doing better on average than the North Indians but this conclusion has to be taken with a pinch of salt. I say this because statistics also show that South Indians are grossly underrepresented in the Armed Forces, they also wield nowhere near the same amount of political and bureaucratic clout as the North Indians in our country. Furthermore, North Indians are culturally far more numerous and dominant. But on the other hand, we also know that the IT industry and the scientific community in India have a much greater proportion of South Indians relative to their population. Thus one has to acknowledge that both these groups have their own spheres of influence and dominance.
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