Abstract

Rural–urban migration has been one of the most defining socio-economic phenomena in India’s post-independence history. It reflects both the transformative aspirations and the structural imbalances of the Indian development process. This paper offers a sociological analysis of rural–urban migration in India tracing its patterns causes and consequences from 1950 to 2025. Drawing on theoretical frameworks from classical migration studies and contemporary sociological perspectives it examines the push–pull factors driving migration the changing demographic profile of migrants and the profound implications for social structure family relations gender roles and urban governance. The study also explores how migration has reshaped rural society by altering labor markets remittance patterns and cultural identities. Special attention is given to the phenomenon of reverse migration during the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of government policies in managing internal mobility. The paper argues tha