Higher education minister Roji M John has said that evidence-based research was required for understanding the increasing migration of students from Kerala to other Indian states and abroad for higher education.

He was taking part in the valedictory session of the three-day Monsoon School on Inequality 2026, which concluded on July 14. The event was jointly organised by the Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET), Economiga, and the Centre for Development Studies (CDS), Thiruvananthapuram. 

Addressing participants comprising students, research scholars, faculty members, and young professionals from across the country, the Minister highlighted the evolving challenges of inequality and the need for research that meaningfully engages with contemporary policy questions. He reflected on emerging issues such as the increasing migration of students from Kerala to other Indian states and abroad for higher education, the structural transformations taking place across sectors, and the importance of understanding these developments through evidence-based research.

Emphasising the growing need for collaboration between academia and public policy, the Minister encouraged young researchers to adopt interdisciplinary approaches in addressing complex developmental challenges. He noted that meaningful public policy requires strong engagement between researchers, institutions, and governments to generate practical and inclusive solutions.

The valedictory session also featured an interactive discussion, where participants engaged with the Minister on a range of issues related to education, employment, inequality, migration, and Kerala’s development trajectory. The exchange provided a valuable platform for young scholars to interact directly with policymakers and discuss how academic research can contribute to informed policy debates.

The Monsoon School on Inequality 2026 brought together participants from diverse disciplinary backgrounds through lectures, panel discussions, research presentations, and mentoring sessions over three days. The programme aimed to strengthen critical engagement with contemporary debates on inequality while fostering a vibrant network of young researchers committed to evidence-based scholarship and public policy.