Odisha’s demographic shift: Youth & migration

As the world marks World Population Day 2025 (July 11) with the theme “Empowering young people to create the families they want in a fair and hopeful world,” Odisha stands at a crucial point in its demographic journey. With the upcoming 2027 Census—India’s first-ever digital and caste-based enumeration—the spotlight is back on the state’s shifting population trends, challenges, and emerging opportunities.

- ARINDAM GANGULY, OP

Odisha, with a projected 2025 population of 46.95 million (4.70 crore), ranks as India’s 11th most populous state. Beyond the figures lies a complex narrative of youth aspirations, rural-urban migration, and structural challenges.

Youth at the crossroads

With 34 per cent of Odisha’s population aged between 15 and 34, the state is experiencing what demographers call a “youth bulge.” According to Naba Kishore Pujari, a social impact professional and public policy practitioner, this bulge is both a golden opportunity and a ticking policy time bomb.