Ict Skills and Migration: Status in Maharashtra Based on Gender and Education

Mihika Asawa, Student
Balgovind Chauhan, Assistant Professor
Anurag Asawa, Professor

Migration has long driven societal development by promoting the exchange of ideas and innovations, increasingly supported by Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and skill development. This study examines whether migrants in Maharashtra possess more ICT skills than non-migrants, based on the hypothesis that migration is motivated by better livelihood opportunities. Using data from the 78th round of the National Sample Survey (NSS), individuals' ICT skills are classified into a dichotomous variable: ‘0’ for fewer than five skills and ‘1’ for five or more skills. Descriptive statistics, trivariate analysis, and chi-square tests are employed to explore the relationship between migration, ICT proficiency, gender, and education. The results reveal that migrants generally exhibit higher ICT skills than non-migrants, especially among males. Education plays a key role, with 60% of migrants holding post-graduate degrees demonstrating advanced ICT skills, while illiterate individuals show the lowest levels. Furthermore, individuals with greater ICT proficiency are more likely to secure regular salaried jobs, with a higher proportion of skilled migrants obtaining such positions compared to non-migrants. From a policy perspective, enhanced ICT skills equip migrants to better integrate into Maharashtra’s workforce, increasing their chances of employment and contributing to the state's economic growth.

Keywords: Internal Migration and Urbanization, Gender Dynamics, Human Capital, Education, and Work, Migrant Populations and Refugees

See extended abstract.