Page 1 of 10

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 03 Issue 12

November 2017

Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 436

A Study on Urban Migration – Problems and Prospects of

Rural Students

Gopaldas Harinath

MBA, Vidya Dayini College of IT & Management,

Saroornagar, Hyderabad, Telangana

ABSTRACT

Urbanization provides opportunities of entertainment, employment, education, health care and

housing. Rural migrants face significant problems which are social, economic, cultural,

psychological and political when they migrate to an urban area. It all depends on how people get

adjusted to the problems and challenges. This study is an attempt to understand the problems

faced by the rural students in pursuing education at an urban area. Language constraint, stay at the

new place, insecurity, depression and transportation are some of the problems highlighted by the

students. Teachers have to play a significant role by facilitating the rural to get adjusted in the

urban life styles. English communication labs, computer labs and counseling centers are to be

established specially for rural students.

Keywords: Urbanization, Migration, Social, Economic, Cultural

INTRODUCTION

The migration of lakhs of rural people from

villages to the cities swelling the population

has been there ever since the

industrialization of the country commenced

but is more pronounced since the

liberalization process was initiated in early

nineties. Migration can be internal / domestic

migration and external migration. Movement

of people from rural places to semi urban

and urban or from semi urban to urban areas

within the country is considered as internal

migration whereas movement of people from

one country to another is called external

migration. There are no official figures for

which Indian States exports the most people

abroad. Till past few decades, Bihar, Andhra

Pradesh, Tamilnadu and Gujarat headed the

list. Currently Punjabis occupy the top slot.

In the domestic migration, Uttar Pradesh,

Bihar, Rajasthan top the list as sources of

migration. The top domestic destinations are

Maharashtra, Delhi and Haryana. (The Times

of India, 9th November 2008). Migration

takes place when people are unhappy about

the opportunities that are available at their

place. Cities are centres of opportunities of

all types: entertainment, employment,

education, healthcare, and so on. When it is a

matter of development, it is true that

everything new comes to the city first.

The urban growth is much more than what it

can absorb and provide jobs. The percentage

of urban population to the total which was

26% in 1991 (census 2001) is expected to

grow to almost near 50% by 2030. This is

sure to result in urban centres breaking in

their landscape which become unorganized

and haphazard. Such urbanization brings

with it significant problems which are social,

economic, cultural, psychological and

political in nature. It all depends on how

Page 2 of 10

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 03 Issue 12

November 2017

Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 437

people get adjusted to the problems and

changes. The migrants report a change in the

language they speak, the food they eat and

the clothes they wear. (The Times of India,

1

st December, 2007- A study by Punjab

Agricultural University). This study makes

an attempt by taking into account the

education as an opportunity and as a cause

for migration and examines the various

problems that are encountered by the

students from rural areas pursuing their

education in urban areas. Small town

aspirants of higher education are moving to

big cities with the hope to make it to one of

the top B- School changing the demography

of cities holding Common Admission Test.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main objectives of the study are to

understand the perceptions of rural students

living in urban areas, the process of

adjustment in the new environment and

examine the various problems faced by the

students in the urban areas.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The study adopts a multi method frame

work. It is based on a survey of 100 rural

students pursuing their higher education at

Osmania University, Hyderabad. Andhra

Pradesh has witnessed a fourfold increase in

urban population from 54 lakhs in 1951 to

205 lakhs in 2001. Urban population

constitutes about 27% of the total population

of the State. Hyderabad has a population of

5.75 million in 2001.The data collected from

the survey is primary in nature and gathered

through a structured questionnaire. The

students are selected randomly representing

different faculties of Social Sciences & Arts,

Commerce and Science. They belong to

under graduate and post graduate courses.

Further, the data is also collected from

secondary sources such as journals, news

papers and websites. The collected

information is tabulated and analyzed using

the percentages and weighted average mean.

SAMPLE PROFILE

The study is based on a sample of 100

women students who have come to city from

various backgrounds. An enquiry is made

about their parental background, rural

background, their stay in city and the

problems faced/facing and also the benefits

they are seeking from migration to the city.

Table 1 Sample Profile

Number of Students 100

Gender : Women 100%

Class Post graduation 68%

Under graduation 32%

Faculty Arts & Social science 35%

Commerce 36%

Science 29%

Rural background Village 71%

Mandal 14%

Town 15%

Source: Primary data

Page 3 of 10

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 03 Issue 12

November 2017

Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 438

The sample consists of 68%

students from post graduate courses and 32%

from under graduate courses. They are

pursuing education in faculties of Arts

(35%), Commerce (36%) and Science (29%).

The attractions cities hold need to be

accessible to all irrespective of whether one

belongs to rural, semi urban or urban area. It

is natural that people move from place to

place in search of development. The study

finds that 71% of the respondents are from

villages, 14% are from mandals and 15% are

from towns.

Polices of the government therefore should

include provision for proper higher

education to the youth from rural areas.

Table 2 Parental Background

Father’s occupation Agriculture 53%

Business 18%

Service 13%

Self employed 16%

Father’s Income Below Rs. 1 lakh 78%

Rs.1 to 2 lakhs 9%

Rs. 2 to 3 lakhs 8%

Above Rs. 3 lakhs 5%

Source: Primary data

It is noticed from Table 2 that the students

are hailing from families with meager

income sources. Majority of the parents of

the students are from agriculture (53%)

followed by Business (18%), self employed

(16%) and service (13%). It is further

observed that 78% of the parents has income

below Rs. 1lakh followed by 9% in the range

of Rs 1 to 2lakhs, 8% in the group of Rs

2lakhs to 3lakhs and remaining earning

above Rs. 3lakhs. It shows that parents,

irrespective of their economic background

are ready to send their children to urban

areas to seek better opportunities and overall

development.

The students also confirmed above

conclusions as 85% of them came to city for

further studies exclusively, 10% for the

studies and employment and 5% for studies

and to take coaching for competitive

examinations to enter into better

employment.

Table 3 Stay in urban area

Period of Stay One year Two years Three years Above three years

Respondents (%) 30 28 22 20

Source: Primary data