What is Brain Drain? Reasons for Brain Drain

The concept of brain drain can be explained as a loss of skilled labour from underdeveloped and poorer countries like India to more developed nations like the USA. The term was popularized in the 1960s, of particular interest are those emigrants with scarce professional skills, like doctors, engineers and especially information technology specialists (ITS). 

Moreover, it has to be mentioned that the education of emigrating specialists had been carried out at the extensive expense of their home country’s government. After world war II, many Indian graduates from esteemed technological institutes started leaving the country and flew to western civilised countries like the US and UK for better economic opportunities. 

Tracing its beginning in the 1960s, the issue still seems to hold its relevance as young graduates from our country eagerly seek to study abroad when given a chance. 

Reasons for Brain Drain

One of the primary reasons for it is, quite evidently, unemployment in the country. Unemployment led individuals do not receive income from work and if a person does not have the possibility to work their human capital depreciates (Wolburg 2001 p. 38). 

Therefore, the individual becomes vulnerable and desperate to work and has to accept whatever opportunities he/she gets or wherever the opportunity is available. It should also be mentioned here that the concept of  ‘dignity of labour’ is highly neglected in India. 

We are still living in a scenario where traditional professionals like doctors, engineers and teachers etc., are the only ones looked up to. Unlike foreign countries where every and any job is given the same respect and importance. Therefore, an individual naturally is provided with a much more diverse array of options to choose from. 

Uncompetitive remuneration can be another factor. After spending money on higher education as well as the acquisition of skills, every individual expects a higher return on investment (ROI). Many jobs in our countries pay less than what an individual outside earns for the same job.

Thus forcing many to emigrate overseas. Other than the ‘pull factors’ mentioned above, some ‘push factors’ also exist. For example, better lifestyle opportunities, a higher standard of living and working, family reunions and better prospects for children. The fact that many Indians are able to speak English, acts as a catalyst in the entire brain drain process. 

Brain Drain and India: 

Overseas university education has been a favourite among Indian students for a very long time. As of 2018, nearly 7,53,000 Indian students were studying abroad. Several news reports suggest that more than half of the first rankers in Class 10 and Class 12 examinations during 1996-2015 had migrated and were studying or employed overseas, mostly in the US. 

The toppers are just the tip of an iceberg of student migration. There’s this growing sense of dissatisfaction generally, among the students that the current Indian education system is inept at preparing them for the challenges of the increasingly globalised world.

The lack of innovative courses is drawing a lot of young students to leave Indian shores for better education overseas. Students want to get paid adequately for the amount of hard work they put into their work, they want to be rewarded for their efforts and talents. Many leave the country because they want to live in a ‘welfare state’.

A welfare state is a country where the basic educational and health facilities are taken care of by the state or are provided at a very affordable price, for example, Canada. In fact, Canada has been referred to by many as ‘mini-India’ indicating the vast Indian population living there.

Conclusion 

In my opinion, it is a sad state of the country if our young and skilled population is voluntarily leaving for better opportunities abroad. It clearly brings out the shortcomings of our economy: the problem of unemployment, degrading lifestyle, unhappy citizens etc. the government should actively work to resolve these issues.

A change in the curriculum at the school level would be a good idea. Students need to be exposed to the possibilities of startups or entrepreneurship from a young age. The age-old system of route learning is benefitting no one in the long run.

A focus on the prospect of the growth of the country because of startups is needed. This will be mutually beneficial for both, the individual as well as the nation. People need to learn to extend their respect toward all kinds of professions, there should not be a sense of shame attached to any work. 

We all live in a capitalist world where money is power and is very hard to acquire. Therefore, we need to be considerate toward each other as human beings and welcome every opportunity that one can grab in this competitive world. 

Written by: Vishakha Baisoya