ABSTRACT
The objective of this chapter is to provide an overview of social science research (SSR) in India primarily in the context of some methodological issues that are associated usually with the use of official data released by the Census Commission – National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) and Central Statistical Organization (CSO), both working under the Ministry of Statistics Planning and implementation (MOSPI). The chapter raises ideological issues, dwells on research methodologies and shows, in brief, how European SSR traditions have provided the perspectives about SSR in India. This section also shows how SSR in India in its initial stage was not inclined to use official data and was mired in ideological debate.
