Invisible Costs of Mobility: A Rural Sociological Analysis of Migration, Social Disruption, and Left-Behind Family Vulnerability in India

Abstract

This study focuses on internal migration within India and explores how it affects the families that stay behind in the rural areas. By drawing on secondary data sources such as the Census of India, 2011, rounds from the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSS/NSSO), the India Human Development Survey (IHDS), and a range of peer‑reviewed empirical studies, the paper synthesizes evidence about the various economic, educational, health, gender, and psychosocial outcomes experienced by left‑behind household members. The findings suggest that remittances usually enhance household income and asset ownership, but migration is also likely to increase the caregiving burden of women, generate mixed effects for children's schooling and learning, and may even deteriorate mental and physical health outcomes of those left behind. Concluding, the paper offers policy recommendations aimed at supporting left‑behind families through targeted social protection, improved access to services, and stronger governance of labor and migration.
Keywords:Internal migration, left-behind families, rural India, remittances, social impact, education, health, gender.