Rural Transformation in India: What can we learn from village studies?

Yadu, C.R. (2025) Rural Transformation in India: What can we learn from village studies? Working Paper. Azim Premji University.

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Abstract

This article examines rural transformation in India through a review of longitudinal village studies conducted over the past three decades. It argues that rural India is not undergoing structural transformation in the classical sense. While labour is steadily moving out of agriculture, this shift has not led to higher productivity in agriculture or the development of a robust rural nonfarm economy. Instead, what unfolds is a process of deagrarianisation, driven by out-migration of male workers to cities where they engage in informal nonfarm employment. This transition is uneven and remains deeply embedded in existing hierarchies of caste, class, and gender, which shape both access to opportunities and outcomes. By identifying common patterns across diverse regional contexts, the article shows how village studies provides a grounded perspective on the nature of rural change.

Item Type:	Monograph (Working Paper)
Authors:	Yadu, C.R.
Document Language:	Language English
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Structural change, non-farm employment; de-agrarianisation, rural India, village studies
Subjects:	Social sciences Social sciences > Social problems & services
Divisions:	Azim Premji University - Bengaluru > Research Centre > Centre for Sustainable Employment
Full Text Status:	Public
Related URLs:	Publisher
URI:	http://publications.azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/id/eprint/6524
Publisher URL:

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