NSO to Conduct Nationwide Migration Survey from July 2026

The National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) will conduct a nationwide Survey on Migration from July 2026 to June 2027 to generate comprehensive and updated data on migration patterns in India.

This was stated in a written reply by Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh in the Rajya Sabha on February 1.

Scope of the Survey

The proposed survey will collect detailed information on:

• Extent and nature of migration, including rural–urban and inter-state movement
• Reasons for migration
• Seasonal and return migration
• Employment profiles of migrants

According to the Ministry, the data will support evidence-based policymaking and help policymakers, planners, researchers and development practitioners design targeted interventions in areas such as:

• Urban planning and housing
• Transport infrastructure
• Employment generation
• Social security
• Skill development

Background

MoSPI has been conducting migration-related surveys at regular intervals. The most recent data were gathered through:

• Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2020–21, and
• Multiple Indicator Survey 2020–21

Key Findings from PLFS 2020–21

• The overall migration rate in India stood at 28.9%.
• Significant gender disparities were observed:
  • Male migration rate: 10.7%
  • Female migration rate: 47.9%
• Reasons for migration varied sharply by gender:
  • Among females, marriage was the dominant reason, accounting for 86.8% of female migrants.
  • Among males, employment or better employment opportunities was the leading cause, accounting for 22.8%.