Well being of Migrant Workers

Well being of Migrant Workers | Sociology Optional Coaching | Vikash Ranjan Classes | Triumph IAS | UPSC Sociology Optional

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When considering the array of 51 optional subjects for the UPSC Mains Examination, Sociology consistently stands out as a top choice. Its inherent appeal lies in its accessibility and intriguing exploration of humanity and society, catering even to students from Science and Commerce backgrounds. With a well-defined UPSC sociology syllabus comprising only 13 units, Sociology can be comprehensively covered within 4 to 5 Month Comprehensive “Foundation to Finale” Classroom Programme, Many of Our Sociology Foundation Course Students have Cleared CSE 2023- Kajal Singh, First Attempt (Age 22) Mahi Sharma, First Mains (Age 23), Anand Sharma First Mains and Many Others. Previously also Many students like IAS Pradeep Singh, IAS Ashish, IPS Bindu Madhav, IPS Aparna Gautam, IPS Shahnaz Illyas got Success in CSE in First Attempt with Sociology Optional.

IAS Medha Anand, has get 310 marks in her optional subject sociology, 156 in paper – 1 & 154 marks in Paper-2 in CSE 2023. Notably, Sociology for UPSC has garnered a reputation as one of the Highest scoring optional subjects in the UPSC Main Examination, with numerous candidates consistently achieving 300+. Its popularity is evident in the fact that a significant proportion of top 100 rankers opt for Sociology as their optional subject, showcasing its high scoring potential, particularly for those not from sociology backgrounds. Moreover, relevance of Sociology Optional Syllabus for UPSC extends beyond the examination hall, enriching understanding across various aspects of life, from social and economic to political and cultural domains. In recent times, Sociology Optional has gained traction, aligning with the evolving trend of the UPSC Mains towards conceptual analysis. Unlike other optional subjects with unpredictable question patterns, Sociology offers stability and predictability, making it an attractive choice. This adaptability, coupled with its concise syllabus and relevance to both academic and social spheres, positions Sociology as the ideal optional subject for engineers as well as optional subject for commerce graduates and optional subject for science graduates seeking success in the Civil Services Examination. For those pursuing Sociology as an optional subject, accessing comprehensive Sociology optional notes and few good Sociology optional books, and previous years’ UPSC sociology optional question papers is pivotal for thorough preparation. Additionally, for aspirants seeking guidance, renowned  educator Vikash Ranjan Sir at TRIUMPH IAS coaching institutes in Delhi, offer valuable support and resources. Vikash Ranjan Sir is the Best Sociology Teacher and Triumph IAS is the best sociology coaching in Delhi. If you are away from Old Rajendra Nagar, Delhi, you can still complete Journey of UPSC civil service preparation through online Sociology class The scientific nature of Sociology, coupled with its direct applicability to daily social interactions, renders it a subject that can be comprehended without extensive reference materials, distinguishing it from other optional subjects requiring extensive reading and research.

Well being of Migrant Workers

Relevant for Civil Services Examination

GS Paper-2 (Human Resources, Poverty and Associated Issues)

Well being of Migrant Workers

Launched in 2021, India’s e-Shram portal has become the world’s largest database of unorganized workers, with over 300 million registrations—a response to the vulnerabilities revealed by the pandemic-induced migrant crisis. The recent ‘One-Stop Solution’ initiative aims to address key gaps by integrating diverse social security schemes, including ration cards and pension benefits. However, challenges like documentation hurdles, gender disparities, and the absence of portable benefits across states persist. As India advances toward the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat,’ the meaningful inclusion of its migrant workforce, which drives the nation’s economy, remains an urgent and critical priority.

Push and Pull Factors Influencing Migration in India

Push Factors

Economic Distress and Rural Unemployment

  • Persistent poverty, disguised unemployment, and limited livelihood options in rural areas compel migration to urban centers.
  • Rural unemployment climbed to 7.8% in April 2024 (CMIE).
  • Declining farm incomes due to erratic monsoons and agriculture’s low contribution of 16% to GDP, despite employing 42% of the population, further exacerbate migration.
  • Recent farmer protests over Minimum Support Prices (MSP) underline the fragility of the agrarian economy.

Healthcare and Educational Deficiencies in Rural Areas

  • Limited access to quality healthcare and education drives families toward urban centers.
  • Rural areas face a 79.9% shortfall of specialists in Community Health Centres.
  • Urban literacy rates (87.7%) significantly surpass rural rates (73.5%), highlighting disparities in infrastructure and opportunities.

Climate Change and Environmental Degradation

  • Climate-induced calamities, including droughts, floods, and cyclones, force internal migration.
  • According to the NDMA Report 2021-22, 68% of India’s cultivable area is drought-prone, jeopardizing rural livelihoods.
  • Cyclone Amphan (2020) displaced over 2.4 million people, and rising sea levels threaten coastal regions like the Sundarbans.

Social Insecurity and Caste-Based Discrimination

  • Marginalized communities face social exclusion and limited equitable opportunities, prompting migration.
  • Scheduled Castes and Tribes have disproportionately higher unemployment rates.
  • Caste-based violence, such as the Hathras incident (2020), exacerbates migration from rural areas.

Political Instability and Conflict Zones

  • Insurgency in the northeastern states and Naxalite activity in central India force families to migrate for safety.
  • For example, the Manipur conflict caused 97% of displacements in South Asia in 2023.
  • Similar migration patterns are observed in Jammu & Kashmir due to incidents like the Pulwama attack (2019).

Pull Factors

Urban Job Opportunities and Industrialization

  • Cities offer higher-paying jobs in sectors like construction, services, and manufacturing.
  • Urban areas are projected to contribute 75% to GDP by 2030 (CMIE).
  • Initiatives like Make in India and infrastructure projects like PM Gati Shakti have boosted demand for low-skilled labor, while Bengaluru’s IT sector attracts high-skilled professionals.

Improved Healthcare and Educational Facilities

  • Urban centers like Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai offer advanced medical care and premier educational institutions.
  • Urban hospitals account for 63.5% of total hospital beds, as per the National Health Profile 2022.
  • Institutions like IITs and AIIMS attract talent from remote areas seeking better education and health services.

Social Mobility and Diverse Opportunities

  • Urban areas provide anonymity and fewer social constraints, allowing marginalized communities to pursue better opportunities.
  • Cities like Mumbai report higher representation of women in the workforce, particularly in sectors like IT and hospitality.
  • Female labor force participation in urban areas increased from 22.7% in Q1 2023 to 25.6% in Q1 2024.

Improved Infrastructure and Livability

  • Urban regions offer superior transport, housing, and digital connectivity.
  • The Smart Cities Mission has enhanced infrastructure in 100 cities, attracting both skilled and unskilled labor.

Globalization and Aspirations for a Better Quality of Life

  • Exposure to global markets and culture through digital media has heightened aspirations for urban lifestyles.
  • Metropolitan cities like Delhi/NCR, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Hyderabad dominate job postings, with Delhi/NCR leading at 21% of fresher hiring.
  • These cities also attract international companies, offering better amenities and career prospects.

Legal Framework for Migrant Welfare in India

Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, 1979

  • Mandates the registration of establishments employing migrant workers.
  • Requires contractors to secure licenses from both home and host states.
  • Challenges: Poor implementation limits its effectiveness.

Labour Codes

  • Code on Wages, 2018: Aims to streamline wage-related regulations.
  • Industrial Relations Code, 2020: Enhances industrial harmony and dispute resolution mechanisms.
  • Code on Social Security, 2020: Expands social security coverage for workers.
  • Occupational Safety, Health, and Working Conditions Code, 2020: Focuses on safe and healthy working conditions.

Steps Taken by the Government for Migrant Welfare

Central Government Initiatives

  • Relief and Rehabilitation of Migrants and Repatriates Scheme
  • Includes seven sub-schemes approved by the Union Government to address migrant welfare.
  • Draft National Migrant Labour Policy (2021)
  • Developed by NITI Aayog in partnership with civil society organizations to improve the condition of migrant workers.

Major Projects and Schemes

  • One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC): Ensures food security for migrants by allowing ration portability across states.
  • Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHC): Provides low-cost housing solutions for migrants.
  • PM Garib Kalyan Yojana: Offers financial assistance and food security.
  • e-Shram Portal: Creates a comprehensive database for unorganized workers to streamline welfare initiatives.

State Government Initiatives

Kerala’s Facilitation Centres

  • Maintain records of incoming migrant workers and address their grievances.
  • Jharkhand’s Safe and Responsible Migration Initiative (SRMI) (2021)
  • Introduced for systematic registration and monitoring of migrant workers across source and destination districts.
  • Includes the establishment of ‘Labour Consulates’ in various states to assist migrant workers.

Key Issues Faced by Migrant Workers in India

  1. Lack of Social Security and Legal Protections
  • Migrant workers, primarily employed in the informal sector, are often excluded from formal social security systems such as EPF, health insurance, or maternity leave due to unregistered employment and interstate mobility.
  • As per the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2021-22, 90% of India’s workforce operates informally.
  • The Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, 1979, which aims to safeguard migrant workers, is poorly enforced.
  1. Exploitation and Wage Discrimination
  • Migrants frequently face underpayment, wage theft, and longer working hours compared to local workers due to weak enforcement of labor laws.
  • A survey during the Covid-19 lockdown revealed that 64% of migrant workers did not receive full wages.
  1. Poor Living Conditions and Housing Exclusion
  • Migrant workers often reside in overcrowded spaces with inadequate access to basic amenities such as sanitation, water, and electricity due to limited affordable housing options in urban areas.
  • In 2020, India’s slum population was estimated at 236 million, indicating that nearly half of the urban population lives in slums (UN-Habitat 2021).
  1. Loss of Entitlements Due to Documentation Issues
  • Migrants face challenges in accessing welfare schemes like PDS and housing due to the non-portability of documents across states.
  • The One Nation, One Ration Card (ONORC) scheme, designed to ensure food security, has limited reach.
  • Lack of voter ID portability disenfranchises millions during elections.
  • Migrant families often struggle to access healthcare and education due to documentation issues, exclusion from local services, and language barriers in host states.
  1. Gender-Specific Challenges
  • Female migrant workers face additional vulnerabilities, such as sexual harassment, wage disparity, and lack of access to childcare and reproductive healthcare services.
  • Between 2018 and 2022, over 10,000 trafficking cases were reported, many involving migrant workers, but convictions accounted for only 4.8% of the 26,849 arrests.
  • Female domestic workers, many of whom are migrants, earn significantly less than male counterparts in similar informal roles.
  1. Social Alienation and Discrimination
  • Migrants often face xenophobia and exclusion in host states due to linguistic, cultural, and regional biases.
  • During the Covid-19 crisis, several states imposed strict movement restrictions, labeling migrants as “virus carriers,” exacerbating their marginalization.
  1. Absence of Childcare Support
  • Migrant families struggle to secure childcare, leading to children either being left behind in native villages or exposed to unsafe conditions at worksites.
  • According to the Global Education Monitoring Report 2019, about 80% of seasonal migrant children in seven cities in India lacked access to education near work sites.
  • Children accompanying parents to fields or construction sites face risks of accidents, malnutrition, and neglect.
  1. Inconsistent Policies Between States
  • Lack of policy harmonization across states results in unequal treatment of migrants, particularly those crossing state boundaries.
  • For instance, migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh working in Gujarat or Maharashtra often face challenges accessing local welfare schemes due to domicile-based restrictions.

Measures to Ensure the Welfare and Integration of Migrant Workers

  1. Portable Social Security Systems
  • Develop a nationwide platform to ensure portability of social security benefits like EPF, ESIC, and other entitlements to address challenges posed by interstate mobility.
    • Integrate the One Nation, One Ration Card (ONORC) scheme with health insurance initiatives like PMJAY to secure food and healthcare for migrant families across states.
    • Enhance the e-Shram portal by linking it with schemes such as PM-SVANidhi and Vishwakarma Yojana for better tracking of worker entitlements and seamless data accessibility.
  1. Formalization of Employment and Skill Certification
  • Promote formal employment contracts and skill mapping to bring migrants into organized sectors, ensuring fair wages and legal protections.
    • Leverage programs like the Skill India Mission and PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) to provide certified training, enhancing employability.
    • Formalization can improve productivity, reduce wage exploitation, and benefit both workers and employers.
  1. Affordable Housing and Livelihood Clusters
  • Expand affordable rental housing schemes under the Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHC) initiative, aligning them with urban development policies such as the Smart Cities Mission.
    • Create livelihood clusters near housing complexes to reduce commuting costs and improve work-life balance.
    • For instance, linking ARHCs with manufacturing hubs under Make in India can provide job proximity while enhancing living conditions.
  1. Digitization of Welfare Delivery and Mobile Connectivity
  • Develop migrant-friendly mobile apps to provide digital access to entitlements like ration cards, healthcare, and financial services.
    • Strengthen Aadhaar-linked benefits by integrating them with state-specific welfare schemes for seamless delivery.
  1. Gender-Sensitive Policies for Female Migrants
  • Formulate targeted policies to address the specific needs of female migrants, including safety measures, wage equality, and access to childcare facilities.
    • For example, integrating Anganwadi services with urban housing policies can support childcare for working mothers in informal sectors.
    • Ensuring workplace safety and gender equality could enhance female labor force participation among migrants.

The well-being of migrant workers is pivotal for India’s inclusive development and economic strength. While initiatives such as the e-Shram portal, One Nation, One Ration Card (ONORC), and Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHC) demonstrate potential, challenges remain in implementation, benefit portability, and addressing gender-specific needs. A holistic and inclusive National Migrant Policy is essential to provide equitable opportunities, safeguard rights, and uphold the dignity of this critical workforce.


The End of the Blog: Steering India’s Digital Transformation

 After Class Doubts Session of Students
with Vikash Ranjan Sir


Frequently Asked Questions by
UPSC Sociology Optional Students

How to prepare for the Sociology Optional without coaching?

Understand the syllabus thoroughly: Familiarize yourself with the entire syllabus for both Paper I and Paper II. Download the official UPSC syllabus and use it as your roadmap. You can attend Sociology Orientation Lectures by Vikash Ranjan sir  on YouTube

Build a strong foundation: Start with introductory textbooks and NCERT books to grasp core sociological concepts. You can start with Introduction to Sociology books

Choose reliable study materials: Select high-quality textbooks, reference books, and online resources recommended by experts. You can opt for Vikash Ranjan Sir Notes too.

Develop a study schedule: Create a realistic and consistent study schedule that allocates dedicated time for each topic. Stick to it and track your progress.

Take notes effectively: Don’t just passively read. Summarize key points, create mind maps, or use other note-taking techniques to aid understanding and revision.

Practice answer writing: Regularly write answers to past year question papers and model questions. Focus on clarity, structure, and critical thinking. Evaluate your answers for improvement.

Seek guidance: You can take free Mentorship on Sociology Optional preparation by Vikash Ranjan sir. Connect with Vikash Ranjan sir (7303615329) to share strategies, ask questions, and stay motivated.  

Can I prepare for Sociology Optional without coaching?

Absolutely! Many aspirants successfully clear the exam through self-study. However coaching can provide structure and guidance, for time bound preparation.

What are the benefits of preparing without coaching?

Cost-effective: Coaching can be expensive, and self-study allows you to manage your resources efficiently.

Flexibility: You can tailor your study plan to your individual needs and pace.

Independence: You develop critical thinking and research skills, valuable assets for your career.

What are the challenges of preparing without coaching?

Discipline and motivation: You need self-discipline to stay on track and motivated without external guidance. Coaching and Teacher keeps you motivated.

Access to resources: You may need to do extra research to find quality study materials and answer-writing practice opportunities. Teacher help you on this respect.

Doubt clearing: You might lack immediate access to someone to address your doubts and questions. Teacher like Vikash Ranjan sir is accessible to his students 24×7   Mo- 7303615329

What additional resources can help me?

Vikash Ranjan Sir’s YouTube channel and website: Offers free Sociology lectures, study materials, and guidance.

Triumph IAS website: Provides past year question papers, model answers, and other helpful resources.

Public libraries and online databases: Utilize these resources for access to relevant books, journals, and academic articles. 


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