What is National Migration Survey -2026? UPSC

Why  in the news? The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) is planning to do a National Migration Survey corresponding to July 2026 to June 2027. This will be the largest review of migration patterns undertaken within nearly twenty years.
What is the National Migration Survey (2026 – 27)?
Overview
The survey, which is a component of the National Sample Survey (NSS), will cover virtually every State and Union Territory (except in a few remote localities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands). It will be undertaken to provide reliable estimates for major migration parameters, including:
• total migration rate,
• number of out-migrants,
• short-term mobility,
• reasons for moving, and
• net migration balance of regions.
Why Another Survey is Imperative:
India’s last standalone, detailed migration survey, was the NSS 64th round (2007-08) which is now outdated. In light of rapid systemic societal and economic change, particularly large-scale mobility restrictions observed during the Covid-19 pandemic, it is vital to have updated information to:
• inform housing policies,
• mapping labour demand,
• facilitating the portability of welfare schemes, and
• inform regional and urban plans.

New Features in the 2026–27 Survey:
• Task migration has been defined more precisely. The revised definition of short-term migration now includes periods away from the home of 15 days to under 6 months, rather than a window of 1 to 6 months.
• The focus has moved from household-level migration to tracking mobility by individuals. Previous surveys have primarily asked about the movement of households; the new survey will assess the mobility of individuals.
• The questionnaire has been expanded to include new questions on changes in income distribution, access to essential services (e.g., schools, hospitals, roads), changes in quality of life and future migration.
Past Migration Surveys:
Migration data have been collected periodically since the 9th NSS round (1955) and dedicated migration surveys have occurred in 18th round (1963–64) and 64th round (2007–08).
Most recently, migration indicators derived from:
• Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2020–21, and
• Multiple Indicator Survey (2020–21).
Importance of the National Migration Survey (2026–27):
• Helps to map migration hotspots, as well as temporary migration-linked mobility corridors associated with work/employment.
• Assists in developing targeted housing, transportation, and skill development policies.
• Aids urban development planning and labour market forecasting.
• Provides information that is vital for the design of social security for migrant workers.
• Provides a renewed socio-economic information base for India following a long period since a migration specific survey across all of India.

What is Migration?

– According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), migration is defined as the movement of people from their usual place of residence to another destination, either within a country or across national borders.
– According to the NSS, a person is a migrant if, at the time of the survey, he or she did not have the same Usual Place of Residence (UPR) as he or she did previously.
Migration in India – Recent Trends:
The Migration in India (2020-21) report, using PLFS (2019-20) data:
– 28.9% overall migration rate.
– Women migrate at a much higher rate than men:
– rural women: 48%, rural men: 5.9%
– urban women: 47.8%, urban men: 22.5%
– Rates differ considerably by gender:
– 67% of men migrated for employment,
– 87% of women migrated for marriage.
Key Migration Terminology in NSS:
– Usual Place of Residence (UPR): The place where a person has continuously lived for the last six months or more.
– Migration Rate: The proportion of migrants in a specified population group (e.g., urban, rural, male, female).
– Net Migration: The difference between in-migrants and out-migrants for a given area.
– Short-Term Migrant: A person who is still counted at their UPR, but was away from that UPR for a period during the previous year (between 15 days and less than 6 months) for work or to look for work.
Out-Migrant: A former household member who moved to another location in the past and is still alive at the time of the survey.