THE SOCIETAL DANGERS OF STUDENT MIGRATION

ACCORDING to a survey by the International Institute for Migration and Development, Thiruvananthapuram, as many as 2.5 lakh students moved from Kerala in 2023 to various countries for higher education. If so, students migrating from Kerala would be about 20 percent of the total student migration from India. What are the promptings for such a massive outflow of students from Kerala, where facilities for higher education are aplenty, is a question that calls for serious attention. Such large-scale migration would have a far-reaching impact on the society and economy of the state.

- JOSEPH K V

Purpose of Migration

Migrants move to countries where opportunities for employment and facilities for improving their economic prospects are available. Kerala is a state where unemployment, especially among the educated class, is widespread. According to the Planning Board, the number of people seeking employment by registering with the employment exchange exceeded 29 lakh in 2023. Among them, those with educational qualification at SSLC or above numbered 23 lakh. Technically qualified people exceeded 3.5 lakh. In addition, the labour market is flooded with the addition of one lakh graduates who come out of universities every year.

On the other hand, Kerala is a state where as many as 20 lakh guest workers from other states are employed. Such an anomalous situation emanates because the unemployed hands are not ready to do the kind of work guest workers are ready to perform. They seek occupations in conformity to their social status, and offer a fairly high amount of remuneration. Since such occupations are few, they continue to remain job-seekers.