Migration has always been an attractive prospect for India’s younger generation. However, the rapidly changing socioeconomic situation of recent times has resulted in an unprecedented level of migration, especially to the highly developed western countries. The ease with which professional guidance and assistance is now available for migration continues to contribute to its growing popularity.
This Eid, when I paid the customary visit to relatives in Kerala, I had the chance to meet some of the youngsters in the family who would usually be away for studies for most of the year, visiting their parents only during festivals and vacations. When I enquired about their higher studies plans and careers, almost all of them revealed intentions to migrate. The most popular destinations were the developed countries of Europe, and the U.K. and Germany topped the list. Canada, New Zealand, and Australia were among the favorites too.
A few days later, I caught up with an old classmate who recently quit her job as an English lecturer in a private college in the State to launch her own venture — an IELTS coaching centre. Explaining that she had plans to gradually introduce coaching for other languages like German in addition to facilitating admissions in European and Canadian universities, she said this was “an opportunity not to be missed”, considering the many youngsters eager to migrate. She even grumbled that she was a late starter to tap the burgeoning prospects of the “study abroad” sector.
Kerala has been described as a “massive old-age home in the making”. Today, the lone inhabitants of many homes in the State are the elderly who battle loneliness every day. They often confine themselves to the home and the immediate vicinity for fear of “running into trouble” — especially with no one to take care of them amidst unfamiliar situations like the pandemic. As a result, they tend to seek quick and easy solutions and services, unaware that they are fleeced by acquaintances posing as reliable helpers serving them at their doorsteps.
Recently, a friend from Dubai visiting his parents in Kerala for his annual vacation recounted some shocking instances when his parents were duped by some very familiar shops and service providers. He could not believe how people he had known all his life had been ripping off his parents under the guise of serving them, from the car workshop charging an exorbitant amount for fixing a simple scratch to the mobile phone shop charging almost double for the monthly top-ups. His father’s confidence in the people around him was shattered when he found out that many of them had been taking him for a ride, even though he had always felt indebted to them for “going out of their way” to help a lonely, elderly couple.
Many of our elderly loved ones are oblivious of the digital revolution around us that has made it easier and cheaper than ever to access services. Unfortunately,their digital skills are limited to answering video calls to communicate with their children and grandchildren residing abroad and making local voice calls for home delivery of essential services. Moreover, the younger generation often takes little interest in helping to develop the elderly’s digital skills beyond being able to place/receive video and voice calls.
Many among the aged do not know how to Google for competitive service providers in the locality or order products for cheap on e-commerce sites. They still depend on “helpers” to pay the electricity bill or book a gas cylinder, often being charged an unreasonable service fee. Also, when they cannot access a simple feature on the mobile phone, some shops “fix it” — claiming they’ve had to replace the software/hardware — usually for a substantial charge.
Basic digital literacy is becoming increasingly important for the elderly, especially in Kerala, where more and more people leave their homes for better incomes, higher living standards, and a more liberal lifestyle. For a State that wowed the world through the outstanding success of its adult literacy program and IT literacy project, it wouldn’t be an uphill task to empower its adult population with basic digital skills. The State can count on the enthusiasm of its young volunteers who have always contributed to the efforts to bring about change and improve lives.
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