“Digital India and Migration: The Impact of Digitalisation on Domestic Migrants in India”
Author(s): MANAV GOYAL
Authors Affiliations:
Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Sociology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
DOIs:10.2017/IJRCS/202509016     |     Paper ID: IJRCS202509016The idea of Digital India has been widely debated, discussed and written by Government Agencies and Social Thinkers. There have been numerous studies about Digital India and its impact on Society, Governance, Rural Development, Women Empowerment. However, these studies have given little importance to the role of digitalisation, and its impact on the migrant workers in India. This research study would fill this literature gap and addresses the link between digital India, digitalisation and domestic migrants in India. Specifically, this research explores how the digital innovations in recent times have helped them. This paper also investigates the challenges faced by them such as digital illiteracy, digital divide etc. Finally, the study ends with some suggestions, which would further enhance the link between digital India and Migration. The study’s theoretic framework draws on the studies of Castells on Information society and Network Society, Djik’s concept of the network society and Drucker’s idea of Knowledge society. The study pursues both qualitative and quantitative enquiry and uses both descriptive, and an exploratory research design. Data is collected from primary sources and through secondary literature. The data is drawn from Cluster Sampling Method by applying a two stage sampling process. Semi-Structured Interview Schedule and Direct Observations were employed to gather information. Hence, this study, by examining, sheds new light on the processes of digitalisation and its positive impact on the domestic migrants. The issues of digital divide and digital illiteracy are also reflected in the study. The dynamics of migration and challenges of digital India can effectively be resolved with corrective measures by all the stakeholders in the migration process.
MANAV GOYAL (2025); Digital India and Migration: The Impact of Digitalisation on Domestic Migrants in India, International Journal of Research Culture Society, ISSN(O): 2456-6683, Volume – 9, Issue – 9, Pp. 86-95. Available on – https://ijrcs.org/
Appadurai. A. (1996). Modernity at Large: Cultural Dimensions of Globalization. University of Minnesota Press.
AP, Shebeen Mahaboob. (2023, November 27). Problematic Portrayal of Migrant Workers in Malayalam Print Media: An Analytical Reading. Refugee Watch Online. https://refugeewatchonline.wordpress.com/2023/11/27/problematic-portrayal-of-migrant-workers-in-malayalam-print-media-an-analytical-reading/
Andersson, K. (2019). Digital Diasporas: an overview of the research areas of migration and new media through a narrative literature review. Human Technology, 15(2): 142–180.
Boyd, M. (1989). “Family and Personal Networks in Migration”, International Migration Review, 23 (3): 638-70.
Castells, M. (2010). The Rise of the Network Society. Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Census. (2011). https://censusindia.gov.in/census.website/
Chakraborty, K. M. (2024, September 1). Bengal labourer lynched in Haryana on suspicion of eating beef. The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/bengal-labourer-lynched-in-haryana-on-suspicion-of-eating-beef/articleshow/112960965.cms
Chandrashekhar, S. (2023). “Migrant Workers and Digital Inclusion in the Construction Sector in India”. 10.1515/9789048556892-015.
Chaudhuri, B., & Lama, P. (2019). Digital Empowerment: A Study on Impact of Digital India Programme on Indian Society. International Journal of Management, Technology and Engineering, IX–IX(I), 3089–3090. https://www.ijamtes.org/gallery/368-jan19.pdf
Chaudhry, L. (2012, August 16). Mystery of the NE exodus: Why Bangalore? Firstpost. https://www.firstpost.com/india/mystery-of-the-ne-exodus-why
Dijk, J. A. G. M. (2006). The Network Society: Social Aspects of New Media. Sage Publications.
Debnath, A., & Roy, N. (2013). Linkage between internal migration and crime: Evidence from India. International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice, 41(3), 203 212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlcj.2013.06.001
Drucker, P. F. (1993). The Rise of the Knowledge Society. The Wilson Quarterly, 17–17(2), 52–71.https://cooperative-individualism.org/drucker-peter_the-rise-of-the knowledge-society -1993-spring.pdf
Gillespie, Marie, Lawrence Ampofo, Margaret Cheesman, Becky Faith, Evgenia Iliadou, Ali Issa, Souad Osseiran and Dimitris Skleparis. (2016). “Mapping Refugee Media Journeys: Smart Phones and Social Networks”. The Open University. https://www.open.ac.uk/ccig/sites/www.open.ac.uk.ccig/files/Mapping%20Refugee%20Media%20Journeys%2016%20May%20FIN%20MG_0.pdf.
Guillén MF, and SL Suárez. (2005). “Explaining the Global Digital Divide: Economic, Political and Sociological Drivers of Cross-National Internet Use”. Social Forces 84 (2): 681-708.
Hamel, Jean-Yves. (2009). “Information and Communication Technologies and Migration”. Human Development Research Paper (HDRP) Series. 2009 (39). https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/19175/
Harnoss, J., Schwarz, A., Reeves, M., Candelon, F., & Boston Consulting Group. (2021). “Innovation Without Borders: The Power of Human Migration in the 21st Century”. By Boston ConsultingGroup. https://bcghendersoninstitute.com/wp content/uploads/2021/05/Innovation-Without-Borders-The-Power-of-Human Migration-in-the-21st-Century.pdf
Karim, K H. (2003). The Media of Diaspora. Routledge.
Krishna, Geetanjali. (2018, January 16). Fixing Aadhaar bugs: Putting a finger on the biometric problem. Business Standard. https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/fixing-bugs-of-aadhaar-putting-a-finger-on-the-biometric-problem-118011501030_ 1.html
Laskar M. H. (2023). “Examining the emergence of digital society and the digital divide in India: A comparative evaluation between urban and rural areas”. Frontiers in sociology, 8, 1145221. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2023.1145221
Lee, E. (1966). “A Theory of Migration”. Demography 3(1):47-57. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2060063r
Levitt P. (1998). “Social Remittances: Migration Driven Local-Level Forms of Cultural Diffusion”. International Migration Review. 32 (4): 926-48.
McAuliffe, M. (2017). Seeking the views of irregular migrants: Decision-making, drivers and migration journeys. In ANU Press eBooks (pp. 103–139). https://doi.org/10.22459/lwg.12.2017.05
McAuliffe, M. (2021). “International migration and digital technology: an overview”. In Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks (pp.1–13). https://doi.org/10.4337/9781839100611.00008
Narayana D, Venkiteswaran C S. (2013). “Domestic Migrant Labour in Kerala”. Labour and Rehabilitation Department, Government of Kerala.
Pandey, Kundan. (2020, April 24). COVID-19: Distress calls from migrants reveal India’s digital divide. Down to Earth. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/science-technology/covid-19-distress-calls-from-migrants-reveal-india-s-digital-divide-70672
Portes A. (1999). “Immigration Theory for a New Century: Some Problems and Opportunities.” in Hirschman C, P. Kasinitz, and J. DeWind (eds). The Handbook of International Migration: The American Experience. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
Rao, S. (2005). Bridging digital divide: Efforts in India. Telematics And Informatics, 22(4), 361-375. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2005.01.007.
Roy, A. (2024, March 10). How India is using the Internet. The Economic Times. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/how-india-is-using-the-internet/articleshow/108354854.cms?from=mdr
Sharma, S. K., Lama, V., & Goyal, N. (2015). “Digital India: A Vision towards Digitally Empowered Knowledge Economy”. Indian Journal of Applied Research. 5(10), 715-716.
Sindakis, S., Showkat, G. (2024). “The digital revolution in India: bridging the gap in rural technology adoption”. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.13, 29.
Srivastava, R. (2020). “Integrating Migration and Development Policy in India: A Case Study of Three Indian States”.Institute of Human Development. https://www.ihdindia.org/working-papers/2020/IHD-CES_WP_03_2020.pdf
The digital divide in India: From bad to worse? (2024, April 25). India Development Review. https://idronline.org/article/inequality/indias-digital-divide-from-bad-to-worse/
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). 2024. Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report for the Quarter October-December, 2023 [Press-release]. https://www.trai.gov.in/sites/default/files/PR_No.20of2024.pdf
Wood N, and R King. (2001). “Media and Migration: An overview” in King R and N Wood (eds). Media and Migration. London and New York: Routledge.

