{"id":73368,"date":"2025-11-14T10:36:29","date_gmt":"2025-11-14T05:06:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=73368"},"modified":"2025-11-14T11:23:55","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T05:53:55","slug":"national-migration-survey-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/national-migration-survey-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"National Migration Survey in 2026 to Map Internal Mobility"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Migration Survey Latest News<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has announced a year-long National Migration Survey to be conducted from July 2026 to June 2027.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Migration in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Migration in India refers to the movement of people from one place to another within the country for reasons such as <\/span><b>employment, marriage, education, or better living conditions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As per the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/periodic-labour-force-survey-plfs\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Periodic Labour Force Survey<\/b><\/a><b> (PLFS) 2020-21<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>28.9%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of India\u2019s population were migrants.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Female migration (48%)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is far higher than <\/span><b>male migration (5.9%)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in rural areas, mainly due to <\/span><b>marriage<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, while most male migration is <\/span><b>employment-driven (67%)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Major migration flows are <\/span><b>rural-to-urban<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (for jobs and education) and <\/span><b>inter-state<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, especially from states like <\/span><b>Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to industrial hubs such as <\/span><b>Delhi, Maharashtra, and Gujarat<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Migration contributes to <\/span><b>urbanisation, labour market flexibility, and remittance flows<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but also poses challenges like <\/span><b>informal employment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>housing shortages<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>social security gaps<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>About the National Migration Survey 2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The survey will be conducted under the aegis of the <\/span><b>National Sample Survey (NSS)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which has been India\u2019s principal source of household-level socio-economic data since 1950.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It will cover <\/span><b>almost all states and union territories<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, except the <\/span><b>Andaman and Nicobar Islands,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> due to logistical constraints.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>objective<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the survey is to generate <\/span><b>reliable and up-to-date estimates<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Migration rates and trends (rural-to-urban, inter-state, and intra-state)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Short-term and seasonal migration patterns<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reasons for migration (economic, social, educational, or marital)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Employment and income profiles of migrants<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Return migration and its socio-economic effects<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Impact of migration on household welfare and community development<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MoSPI has already released a <\/span><b>draft questionnaire and concept note<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on its website and invited <\/span><b>public feedback and expert comments<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by <\/span><b>November 30, 2025<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Evolution of Migration Surveys in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has a long history of tracking internal migration through the <\/span><b>NSS <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">system.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Migration data was first collected in the <\/span><b>9<\/b><b>th<\/b><b> NSS round (1955)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, followed by dedicated surveys such as the <\/span><b>18<\/b><b>th<\/b><b> round (1963-64)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the <\/span><b>64<\/b><b>th<\/b><b> round (2007-08)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since 2008, migration data has only been gathered intermittently through:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>PLFS 2020-21<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> estimated India\u2019s migration rate at <\/span><b>28.9%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the total population.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Multiple Indicator Survey (2020-21)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> offered limited insights into internal mobility.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, experts have noted that India lacks a continuous and updated dataset on migration, especially post-pandemic, when <\/span><b>labour displacement and reverse migration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> became major socio-economic concerns. The new survey seeks to bridge this gap.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Key Features of the 2026 Migration Survey<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Revised Definitions and Improved Coverage<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The upcoming survey introduces updated definitions to capture modern migration trends more accurately.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A person will now be classified as a <\/span><b>short-term migrant<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> if they have stayed away from their usual residence for <\/span><b>15 days to six months<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> within the last year for employment or job search, a shift from the previous threshold of one to six months.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The survey will also focus on <\/span><b>individual migration patterns<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rather than entire households, as the proportion of households migrating together has historically been low.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Comprehensive Scope of Data<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The questionnaire includes <\/span><b>new questions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> designed to assess the broader <\/span><b>impact of migration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on the individual\u2019s quality of life, such as:<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Changes in income, healthcare access, and social stability post-migration.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experiences with housing, employment, and local integration.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Challenges faced at the destination and the intent to relocate again.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Integration with Policy Planning<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MoSPI has emphasised that the data will support <\/span><b>evidence-based policymaking<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in critical sectors:<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Urban Development:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Informing city-level housing, transport, and infrastructure planning.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Employment Generation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Identifying labour shortages and skill gaps across regions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Social Protection:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Enhancing portability of welfare benefits for migrant workers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Regional Development:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Assessing how migration affects remittance flows and rural economies.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Significance of the Migration Survey<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Migration is a vital dimension of India\u2019s economic and social landscape. Internal migration contributes to:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Urbanisation and industrial growth<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by supplying labour to construction, manufacturing, and services.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Rural resilience<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> through remittances that support education, healthcare, and household consumption.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, migration also poses challenges such as <\/span><b>informal employment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>lack of social security<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>urban congestion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Comprehensive data is essential to address these issues effectively.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The upcoming survey will fill a critical data gap since the last dedicated migration study conducted in <\/span><b>2007-08<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, helping policymakers design more targeted interventions in <\/span><b>urban planning, labour mobility, housing, and social security.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b> <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/business\/govt-begin-year-long-national-migration-survey-july-2026-10363966\/lite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">IE<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/economictimes.indiatimes.com\/news\/economy\/policy\/statistics-ministry-to-launch-migration-survey-from-july-next-year\/articleshow\/125307216.cms?from=mdr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">ET<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation will conduct a year-long National Migration Survey from July 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":73393,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[60,3691,22,59],"class_list":{"0":"post-73368","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-mains-articles","9":"tag-migration-survey","10":"tag-upsc-current-affairs","11":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs","12":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73368","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73368"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73368\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/73393"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73368"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73368"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73368"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}