Which of the following is a push factor of people migration ?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 2

The correct answer is Option (2) → Poverty

Push factors are problems at home that make people leave their place of origin. Pull factors are the attractions of a new place that draw people towards it.

Option (1) Better job opportunities — Incorrect. This is a pull factor. Better jobs draw people towards cities.

Option (2) Poverty — Correct. Poverty makes life at home hard and pushes people out, mainly from villages to cities.

Option (3) High wages — Incorrect. This is a pull factor. Relatively higher wages attract rural migrants to cities.

Option (4) Better educational facilities — Incorrect. This is a pull factor. People move to places with better opportunities for education.

Note: Options (2), (3) and (4) of this question are worded as in the pre-rationalised NCERT book, which gives poverty as a push factor, and higher wages and better opportunities for education as pull factors. The latest edition (2026-27) explains push and pull factors in general terms (unemployment, poor living conditions and socio-economic backwardness; better job opportunities and living conditions) and does not use these words. Extracts of both books are given below for the benefit of students.

NCERT (2026-27): “The Push factors make the place of origin seem less attractive for reasons like unemployment, poor living conditions, political turmoil, unpleasant climate, natural disasters, epidemics and socio-economic backwardness.”

“The Pull factors make the place of destination seem more attractive than the place of origin for reasons like better job opportunities and living conditions, peace and stability, security of life and property and pleasant climate.”

Pre-rationalised NCERT: “In India people migrate from rural to urban areas mainly due to poverty, high population pressure on the land, lack of basic infrastructural facilities like health care, education, etc. … On the other hand, there are pull factors which attract people from rural areas to cities. The most important pull factor for majority of the rural migrants to urban areas is the better opportunities, availability of regular work and relatively higher wages. Better opportunities for education, better health facilities and sources of entertainment, etc., are also quite important pull factors.”