Kerala readies for next round of migration study

Thiruvananthapuram - The Centre for Development Studies here has started the ground work for the seventh round of the comprehensive study on international and internal emigration from the state, says the study head.

S. Irudayarajan, chief of the migration unit of the autonomous research institute, told IANS that the next round of the study would be based on the 2011 Census.

"Our previous studies were based on the 2001 Census. This time we will collect new samples from 15,000 households based on the 2011 Census. The preliminary work has started and the migration survey will begin early next year. The results will be announced by September next year," Irudayarajan said.

Kerala is the only state in the country which has conducted as many as seven rounds of migration studies. States like Goa, Gujarat and Punjab have so far managed to do just one round of such studies.

The 2011 migration study of Kerala had estimated that around 2.28 million emigrants from the state were living abroad, up from 2.19 million in 2008, 1.84 million in 2003 and 1.36 million in 1998.

The survey estimated the total remittances received by the state from its diaspora in 2011 to the tune of Rs.49,695 crore, compared to Rs.43,288 crore in 2008.

According to the researcher, the new study will also analyse micro-level aspects such as the education profile of emigrants, student migration and gender-based migration, among others.

"These three key indicators are indicative of emerging trends, as over the years the number of people emigrating from the state has been decreasing. With population growth also slowing down, in the coming years lesser number of people are likely to migrate for jobs abroad," Irudayarajan said.

The researcher, who has assisted other states too in conducting such studies, stressed on the urgency to improve the quality of education of the emigrants, especially in the skilled category, to ensure sustained growth in remittances.

"There is likely to be an increase in student emigration from Kerala. Thus, the study will come out with details of the exact cost of education in various countries," added Irudayarajan.

The 2011 study had pointed out that the principal destination countries for Kerala emigrants have remained more or less unchanged over the last few years, with 90 percent preferring to emigrate to the Gulf countries.

The new study is expected to cost Rs.5 million with the Non-Resident Keralites Affairs Department expected to chip in to fund the study.