Please note that the Indian Census Organization reports that "the population of Jammu and Kashmir is not included in these figures as the 1991 census was not conducted there due to disturbed conditions."
Please also note that the names of languages given here are rather cover terms, in some sense. For, each language, for which the population figure is given in the table below, includes also some other languages, or dialects that are not explicitly presented in the table. For example, the cover term Kannada includes also the language or dialect Badaga. Tamil includes Kaikadi, Tamil Yerukula/Yerukula and others. Hindi includes around 48 languages, dialects, or mother tonngues like Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Garhwali, etc.
The statement made by the Census Organization, while presenting the abstract of languages and mother tongues, says:
Presented below is an alphabetical abstract of languages and the mother tongues with strength of 10, 000 and above at the all India level, included under each language. There are a total of 114 languages and 216 mother tongues, 18 scheduled languages and 96 not specified in the schedule.
| LANGAUGES OF INDIA, 1991 CENSUS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Languages | ||
| Serial No. | Language Name | Number of Persons |
| 1. | Assamese | 13,079,696 |
| 2. | Bengali | 69,595,738 |
| 3. | Gujarati | 40,673,814 |
| 4. | Hindi | 337,272,114 |
| 5. | Kannada | 32,753,676 |
| 6. | Kashmiri | 56,693 |
| 7. | Konkani | 1,760,607 |
| 8. | Malayalam | 30,377,176 |
| 9. | Manipuri | 1,270,216 |
| 10. | Marathi | 62,481,681 |
| 11. | Nepali | 2,076,645 |
| 12. | Oriya | 28,061,313 |
| 13. | Punjabi | 32,753,676 |
| 14. | Sanskrit | 49,736 |
| 15. | Sindhi | 2,122,848 |
| 16. | Tamil | 53,006,368 |
| 17. | Telugu | 66,017,615 |
| 18. | Urdu | 43,406,932 |
| Non-Scheduled Languages | ||
| Serial No. | Language Name | Number of Persons |
| 1. | Adi | 158,409 |
| 2. | Anal | 12,156 |
| 3. | Angami | 97,631 |
| 4. | Ao | 172,449 |
| 5. | Arabic/Arbi | 21,975 |
| 6. | Bhili/Bhilodi | 5,572,308 |
| 7. | Bhotia | 55,483 |
| 8. | Bhumij | 45,302 |
| 9. | Bishnupuriya | 59,233 |
| 10. | Bodo/Boro | 1,221,881 |
| 11. | Chakesang | 30,985 |
| 12. | Chakru/Chokri | 48,207 |
| 13. | Chang | 32,478 |
| 14. | Coorgi/Kodagu | 97,011 |
| 15. | Deori | 17,901 |
| 16. | Dimasa | 88,543 |
| 17. | Dogri | 89,681 |
| 18. | English | 178,598 |
| 19. | Gadaba | 28,158 |
| 20. | Gangte | 13,695 |
| 21. | Garo | 675,642 |
| 22. | Gondi | 2,124,852 |
| 23. | Halabi | 534,313 |
| 24. | Halam | 29,322 |
| 25. | Hmar | 65,204 |
| 26. | Ho | 949,216 |
| 27. | Jatapu | 25,730 |
| 28. | Juang | 16,858 |
| 29. | Kabui | 68,925 |
| 30. | Karbi/Mikri | 366,229 |
| 31. | Khandeshi | 973,709 |
| 32. | Kharia | 225,556 |
| 33. | Khasa | 912,283 |
| 34. | Khezha | 13,004 |
| 35. | Khiemnungan | 23,544 |
| 36. | Khond/Kondh | 220,783 |
| 37. | Kinnauri | 61,794 |
| 38. | Kisan | 162,088 |
| 39. | Koch | 26,179 |
| 40. | Koda/Kora | 28,200 |
| 41. | Kolami | 98,281 |
| 42. | Kom | 13,548 |
| 43. | Konda | 17,864 |
| 44. | Konyak | 137,722 |
| 45. | Korku | 466,073 |
| 46. | Korwa | 27,485 |
| 47. | Koya | 270,994 |
| 48. | Kui | 641,662 |
| 49. | Kuki | 58,263 |
| 50. | Kurukh/Oraon | 1,426,618 |
| 51. | Lahauli | 22,027 |
| 52. | Lahnda | 27,386 |
| 53. | Lakher | 22,947 |
| 54. | Lalung | 33,746 |
| 55. | Lepcha | 39,342 |
| 56. | Liangmei | 27,478 |
| 57. | Limbu | 28,174 |
| 58. | Lotha | 85,802 |
| 59. | Lushai/Mizo | 538,842 |
| 60. | Malto | 108,148 |
| 61. | Mao | 77,810 |
| 62. | Maram | 10,144 |
| 63. | Maring | 15,268 |
| 64. | Miri/Mishing | 390,583 |
| 65. | Mishmi | 29,000 |
| 66. | Mogh | 28,135 |
| 67. | Monpa | 43,226 |
| 68. | Munda | 413,894 |
| 69. | Mundari | 816,378 |
| 70. | Nicobarese | 26,261 |
| 71. | Nissi/Dafla | 173,791 |
| 72. | Nocte | 30,441 |
| 73. | Paite | 49,237 |
| 74. | Parji | 44,001 |
| 75. | Pawi | 15,346 |
| 76. | Phom | 65,350 |
| 77. | Pochury | 11,231 |
| 78. | Rabha | 139,365 |
| 79. | Rengma | 37,521 |
| 80. | Sangtam | 47,461 |
| 81. | Santali | 5,216,325 |
| 82. | Savara | 273,168 |
| 83. | Sema | 166,157 |
| 84. | Sherpa | 16,105 |
| 85. | Tangkhul | 101,841 |
| 86. | Tangsa | 28,121 |
| 87. | Thado | 107,992 |
| 88. | Tibetan | 69,416 |
| 89. | Tripuri | 694,940 |
| 90. | Tulu | 1,552,259 |
| 91. | Vaiphei | 26,185 |
| 92. | Wancho | 39,600 |
| 93. | Yimchungre | 47,227 |
| 94. | Zeliang | 35,079 |
| 95. | Zemi | 22,634 |
| 96. | Zou | 15,966 |
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