By: Dr. Ambrose Pinto SJ

We have another achievement to our credit. A new survey titled ‘Perils of Perception’ has dubbed India as the most ignorant nation in the world surpassing Mexico. The survey conducted by Ipsos MORI, a London-based market research firm, polled 25,000 people from 33 countries and found that while people “over-estimate what they worry about” and underestimate a lot of major issues. For the Indian sample, the survey was conducted on 500 individuals aged 18-64 between September 22, and November 6, 2016. The poll was conducted online. The sample was of people who have access to the internet. The rankings of the nations were based on the “Index of Ignorance” which was determined by the questions below.

Fear-mongering about the increase of Muslim presence appears to have successfully created a strong misconception about a Muslim population explosion. Respondents thought that more than one of every three people in 2020 would be Muslim in the country while the actual share is likely to be 15.4%. Those participated in the survey were also significantly off the mark in guessing the share of GDP that the government spends on health. The Indian state spends less than 5% of the GDP on health while the survey respondents estimated it at 23%.

 While the poorest 70% of Indians hold just 10% of household wealth, the Indian respondents’ average guess was 39%. In reality 81% of the people say they are happy but the perception of those who participated in the survey put it 47%. Indians were also way off the mark in estimating the share of citizens who own their own homes. While the actual figure is 87%–driven largely by the fact that renting is rare in rural India and among non-migrants–the Indians surveyed believed this figure was 44%. On issues of abortion, homosexuality and pre-marital sex, there are more people who believe that individuals resort to these than the real numbers.

The index was calculated based on the magnitude of error between the average guess and the real number. India had ranked as the second most ignorant in 2015 and has moved into the first place this year. What Ipsos calls “ignorance” could well be lack of access to education or the media since the survey was conducted through the internet. The countries that tend to do worst have relatively low internet penetrations given the fact that the survey was online. What the survey does say however is how the middle-classes and connected population think the rest of the country is more like them than they really are.

What does this ignorance mean? The people in the country are more guided by propaganda than facts. They believe what is heard and repeated and fail to be objective. The general public is made to believe in an India that does not exist. Has the government of India contributed to this ignorance? The political agenda of the state with all its biases and prejudices along with concocted story of India shinning is reflected here. The system of education that passes on information without examining that information also plays a part in an ignorant outlook.

(Dr. Ambrose Pinto SJ is the Principal of St. Aloysius Degree College, Bangalore – 560005)