Understanding the Causes of Migration Among Bodo Tribal Youth: Insights from Left-Behind Parents

Kokrajhar is one of the most backward districts of Assam, predominantly inhabited by marginalized groups of people. From this district, thousands of youths migrate to different parts of the country in search of a livelihood. This paper aims to highlight the major causes of Bodo tribal labour youth migration. The data comes from the primary survey that was carried out from March to July 2023. Using composite scores (literacy rate, sex ratio, percentage of non-worker population, and distances to district headquarters), the survey was conducted in the 33 most backward villages out of the 66 chosen villages. The total sample size is 462 parents with at least one youth, and about half of them are left-behind parents. The collected data are analyzed using SPSS 25 statistical software. As per the informal interaction with the natives, landholdings, unemployment, low wages, poverty, debts, and natural disasters are the major causes of youth out-migration. Age, marital status, education, and family size give final shape to the decision to migrate. The assurance of finding a job and a place to stay works as the strongest determining factor in migration.