Migration – NDA Geography Notes

Introduction

Migration is the movement of people from one place to another — either within a country (internal migration) or across countries (international migration).

NDA tests migration lightly. Most questions are conceptual — types of migration, push and pull factors, and effects of migration on population and economy.

Understand the Topic

Types of Migration

By distance:

• Internal migration (within the country)
• International migration (across countries)

By duration:

• Permanent
• Temporary (seasonal)

By direction:

• Rural to urban (most common in India)
• Urban to rural (reverse migration)
• Rural to rural
• Urban to urban

Push factors — reasons that make people leave their original place:

• Poverty, unemployment, drought, flood, conflict, lack of services

Pull factors — reasons that attract people to a new place:

• Better jobs, higher wages, better education, healthcare, security

Migration in India

Rural to urban migration is the most common form of internal migration in India. Young people move from villages to cities in search of jobs and education.

Major receiving cities: Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata

Major sending states: UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, MP, Odisha — states with high rural poverty and limited local employment

Effects of migration:

On receiving areas:

• Growth of slums
• Pressure on infrastructure
• Diversity and cultural mixing

On sending areas:

• Remittances (money sent home)
• Labour shortage in agriculture
• Brain drain

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International Migration

India has one of the world’s largest diaspora populations — Indians living abroad in countries like UAE, USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia.

Remittances from Indians abroad are a major source of foreign exchange for India.