Experts discuss migration challenge from Punjab
The School of Social Sciences at Guru Nanak Dev University in collaboration with the ICSSR North-Western Region, PU, Chandigarh, hosted an insightful seminar titled “Flight to Greener Pastures: The Migration Story of Punjab”.
The event provided a critical platform for scholars, policymakers and migration experts to come together and discuss the multifaceted causes of migration from Punjab, its socio-economic implications and the evolving trends of migration from the state.
Speaking at the seminar, Dr Gian Singh, social scientist from Punjab and former faculty, Punjabi University, Patiala, presented his recent research study on migration trends and mitigation strategies, which was also released in a book form. Here, he discusses the key takeaways from his study.
Socio-economic overhaul needed
“As a social scientist and researcher, finding out what’s driving youth of Punjab away from their land and towards dangerous paths was a mandatory exercise for me. My study on migration trends in rural Punjab focuses on the Majha, Doaba and Malwa regions. The research, based on data from 2,788 migrants across more than 250 households, highlighted key drivers such as unemployment, peer pressure and economic aspirations. Migration surged after2014, with Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and Italy as the top destinations. I undertook this study from 2021 onwards.
To provide a balanced perspective, this study addresses both the hardships faced by migrants and Punjab’s internal issues that fuel migration. Identifying push factors like unemployment, education-job mismatches and drug abuse, alongside pull factors such as better job prospects and social security abroad, what we found was that it called for policy reforms to align education with industry needs and create local employment opportunities.
Our youngsters are not industry ready, which means they do not have the skill-sets required for employment, especially in corporate sector. The schools and higher education institutions need to stop functioning as degree-manufacturing factories and attend to the industry demands by mentoring and skill training of students.
Also, factors like the glorification of life abroad, which finds advertising platform through Punjabi music videos and social media, add to the problematic mindsets. The harsh realities faced by many migrants, the rise of right-wing leadership in nations that once welcomed immigrants, the increasing restrictions in immigration policies are never discussed and, therefore, leading to situations like the recent deportation flight from the USA to Amritsar.
