Shifting From ‘Brain drain’ to ‘Brain gain’ in the Indian scenario – An

Overview

Introduction to brain drain

Brain drain is moving people out of their home country to some other countries, may be
sometimes to the hostile countries also.

The movement of professionally trained people and knowledge workers is majorly from
developing countries to developed countries that is poor countries to rich countries may be due
to the fact to become richer and to earn in dollars.

The whole economy is moving towards brain gain from the old aged brain drain. In the yester
years, people used to immigrate to other countries for various reasons such as education or job
or livelihood. The whole process of reversion took place now- a-days and now the
contemporary issue is on brain gain.

This phenomenon is quite familiar as the statistics speaks. In the year 1994, a study was
conducted to estimate the magnitude of the brain drain. It is revealed that out of annual output
of highly qualified young men and women in India, 7.3 percent in engineering, 2.8 percent in
medicine and 2.1 percent in the natural sciences move to other countries in search of better
earnings and conditions of work than that would be available in India.

Another study found that approximately one-fourth of the B. Tech students from IITs are moving
out of the country. It is well known that in the area of computer science, those leaving the
country as a proportion of those trained are even higher.

In the wake of globalization and liberalization, even the governments are encouraging the
movement of the knowledge workers to the developed countries. They insist on the higher
education and quality work life. It is like that poor countries spend on the training of the
personnel and the rich countries avail them at a relatively low cost.

Generations in the brain drain

In the first generation aspect of brain drain, most of the knowledge workers migrate to the rich
countries and they settle there.

But in the second generation, most of the knowledge workers migrate to the developed
countries and contribute towards the economy of the home country in the form of NRIs Non
Residents of India. Several investments were made by them in the past towards their home
country. The knowledge outflow that was caused due to brain drain is substituted or replaced
by the investments and the financial contributions they make towards their home country.
In the third generation, most of the knowledge workers return to their home countries and
establish their own set ups and work in their home countries. The amount of human capital that
is going to settle in the foreign countries is becoming less in this generation. Moreover,
whatever they gained knowledge or the money, they are utilizing here for the home country
only.

The fourth generation is like that they move to rich countries to gain knowledge and they come
back to the home country to establish their own set ups and establishing themselves like young
entrepreneurs in their home country.

Previously, from the beginning many people used to migrate to the United Kingdom and Canada
in the western countries. But from 1970s onwards people started to immigrate to US. However,
from 1990s the number of people migrating to the US from India was almost twice as many as
those going to the other countries. Today the Indian community in the US (migrants plus Indians
born in that country) forms a noticeable proportion of the population. Indians constitute a much
higher proportion of the labour force in most of the countries be it technical or non-technical, or
skilled or non-skilled. According to the 1980 US Census figures, 75 percent of Indian migrants
aged 16 and over were in the labour force – 95 percent of them employed, while 5 percent were
looking for the jobs. Average earnings of Indians are also considerably higher than those of
other Asian immigrant communities.

Studying outside India will fetch India especially in the fields of education and health care.
Indian scholars who settled in abroad have come back, often during their sabbaticals, to teach
in India or to interact with researchers here. Realistically speaking, the brain drain is turning into
brain gain indeed.

The brain drain is also referred as Human Capital Flight as it involves large scale emigration of
individuals with technical skills or knowledge.

Reasons for Human Capital Flight

The reasons can be broadly classified into two categories.

1. Country point of view

2. Individuals point of view.

1. Country point of view

From the home country side, the reasons may include social environment, lack of opportunities,
political instability, economic depression, health risks.

From the host country side, rich opportunities, comparatively good political system, developed
economy, better living conditions etc.

2. Individual point of view

The reasons may vary from Family influence, overseas relatives, personal preference,
preference for exploring and ambition for an improved career.

Brain drain usually meant for the departure of educated or professional people from one
country, economic sector, or field for another, usually for better pay or living conditions. It is
usually regarded as an economic cost, since a fraction is only to be returned towards the home
country for the training provided by it. Besides it there would be some amount and kind of
financial capital flight also. The home country experiences the immigration of the human capital
both in the intellectual wise and the financial wise as well.

In the simple language brain drain means the people study in their home country and after th9ey
gain the necessary and sufficient qualification, they fly to foreign countries to serve that country
and of course to earn money and life style.

This has become a subject of debate and worry for the under developed countries and
developed countries. Most of students in these countries think that they do not have any career
opportunity or career development in their own country and move to the richer countries to
enhance their economy with their gained knowledge in their own country. The own country is
for imparting the training and knowledge to the students and when it comes to the serving the
nation or developing the nation it goes to the other countries. The other countries may be rivals
or competitors for the own country also sometimes. This would certainly affect the national per
capita income and the national income of the own country.

These students should understand that they are indirectly or partially responsible for the
poverty, hungry, social evils that are prevailing the in their own country. In the own country the
earning and contributing population towards the national income is decreasing and the
population that consume is increasing.

India also is emerging from its past like under developed country. Today India is no less than
any other country be it is in west or east. It is advancing from all spheres of world be it science
and technology, or entertainment or employment etc. Whole world is watching towards India
astonishingly and amazingly for its triumph. Now, why our students should go to the western
countries when they themselves come here for our youth for their BPOs, or IT software or
MNCs establishing their giant manufacturing units in India? The recent development or
organizing of IPL (Indian Premier League) is of the first of kind itself and it is quite obvious how
successful it is.

When a food of superb kind is served at home itself, why anybody look at the neighbor’s home
for food? Those all western countries now follow or at least trying to follow our Indian culture. It
is of sure that they all admire our India for its culture and heritage.
 INDIA WILL BE THE GOLDEN BIRD OF OUR DREAMS ONCE AGAIN.

The human capital flight is more dangerous than the financial capital flight. The financial capital
flight affects only the financial issues of the country. But it is the human capital that would make
or mar the financial system of the country. The human capital flight involves migration of the
intellect and the knowledge that is to be served to the home country India, is being served to
other countries that may be a threat or dominant to our country.

The term brain drain is coined by the Royal Society to describe the emigration of “scientists and
technologists” to North America. The converse phenomenon is also taking place that when large
number of technically qualified persons is immigrating. This gives rise to other phrases like
brain circulation and brain waste.

In this brain drain vicious circle has two parties – one developing countries and another
developed countries. The developing countries with the disadvantaged social environment,
limited opportunities, political instability, economic depression, health risks, family influence that
has overseas relatives, personal preference to explore, personal ambitions to seek brilliant
career etc. make a numerous people to emigrate. Most of these emigrates settle over in that
country making the home country a low income one. In turn the developed countries would
become more developed attracting more talents from other areas. The brain drain can be
considered as economic cost as the emigrants take with them the fraction of value of their
teaching sponsored by government.

All the factors are considered in depth making it clear that brain drain is a loss for the home
country. All this is done basing on the assumption that if they were in the home country they
would serve the country in improving the talent base and infrastructure thereby. But that much
attitude or maturity those home countries have? Just take the example of Dr. Har Gobind
Khurana, who did not get a job here in India and for the livelihood he emigrated and thereby he
got a noble prize for his due diligence and wisdom. This is a question of worth. This is a case
only for illustration. Like this there plethora of examples to cite.

The developed nations enjoy the benefits of abundant availability of the talent pool of the
professionals, be it doctors or engineers or any other professionals trained in their home country
and leading their life with utmost comfort. They enter the country with usually in the most
productive part of their life and if at all they return their home country they come only with
frustration and annoyance towards their country.

UNESCO the international body tried to define the aspect in 1969 in a report with the major
characteristics of brain drain as follows.

"The brain drain could be defined as an abnormal form of scientific exchange between
countries, characterized by a one- way flow in favor of the most highly developed countries".
One of the most comprehensive reports the main characteristics of brain drain as follows:
a) There are numerous flows of skilled and trained persons from developing to developed
countries;

b) They are characterized by large flows from a comparatively small number of developed
countries and by small flows from a larger number of developing countries;

c) In these flows engineers, medical personnel and scientists usually tend to predominate;

d) The above flows have grown with increasing rapidity in recent years;

e) The higher the level of skill/training, the greater the susceptibility to migration tends to be

f) The flows respond increasingly to the changed Economic complexity of world societies and to
legislation which reflects the demands of a new era.

g) The migratory trends are stimulated both by the character of national educational systems by
lack and inadequate planning for the training of students from developing countries, in
developed states as well as the proper utilization of their-skills in their home country; and

h) Except possibly for South America, there are no signs that the migration of talents is
decreasing and there are fairly definite signs that its increase will, under present conditions,
continue to accelerate.

Causes of brain drain

There may be several reasons for the human capital flight. Those may be included as political
instability of a nation, lack of opportunities in the home country, health risks, personal conflicts
etc.

Advantages of brain drain

One of the benefits of this brain drain is the talent pool has an opportunity of visiting many
countries or working or studying there and settling also if possible, instead of struggling in India
where there are meager opportunities for the really talent people for the silly and simple
reasons.

Furthermore, the people who have studied or worked abroad will have a broader mindset and
open mindedness as he has visited many parts of the globe rather and he can behave in a quite
reasonable manner compared to a person who confines himself to his own vicinity. Such kind
of persons is really a wealth and worth for the planet or globe itself.

Loss to the country as well as to economy

This brain drain is loss to the economy of the underdeveloped country and it widens the gap
between the developed and underdeveloped countries. As a result the under developed
countries are becoming dependent on the developed countries. The economy of the under
developed country becomes dependent on the developed countries.
This brain drain can be treated as an economic problem as the total scenario affects the
educational system and living standards of the people. The developed countries have
better opportunities for high human potential, better environment for developing the
talent, and for better utilization of human capital for the wellbeing of the nation.

This trend should be reversed – How, Why, by whom, etc?

Measures taken to curb Brain Drain

The human capital is the one that which can make or mar the economy of the country. To rein
in several countries follow various strategies depending on their national and geographical
situations. For instance, the African countries are restricting the emigrants from their country.
In the same lines, Kuwait also fostered the sense of security and hope among the elite to
restrain the brain drain. In India, though the brain drain is acute, the government does not take
any measures hoping that they themselves know and take care of the issue. And one day or
other they return to their own country to put down roots.

A United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) report in 1969,
defined the brain drain as, ‘’an abnormal form of scientific exchange between countries,
characterized by a one-way flow in favour of the most highly developed countries. Even after
four decades, the very definition holds good with a good number of emigrants to the developed
nations.

In the year 2008, most of the students studying in U. S are the Indian students. Adding to that,
more than 25% of the medical staff in America and Britain is from India.

A report by World Bank says that India is in third place after Britain and Philippines. Though the
number of persons that migrate are in millions, the total number of persons represent just five
percent of the total graduate population of India. But the emigrants from Africa and Central
America are quite high. Moreover, almost 47 percent of their student population from Ghana
and 89 percent population from Guyana emigrate to abroad.

But still brain drain continues to be a cause of concern for India, for we are getting used to
thousands of students going abroad every year for education. Former Indian President APJ
Abdul Kalam had said that reverse brain drain will have to begin if India is to become a
developed nation in the future. But the percentage of students coming back after studying
overseas is not very high and hence efforts will have to be made to reduce the number of
students going out in the first place. For this, we will have to revamp our education system and
also include more higher education institutions in the country so that students do not have to
look for alternatives elsewhere. The migration of students might have helped in ’brand India’
becoming more powerful, but the image of India needs to change in the future. We shouldn’t just
be a country that produces great talent, but also the one that nurtures and builds on it. Every
Indian is proud of the fact that he is an Indian, but we will have to wait for the day till he is proud
of being in India
Management of quality in the reversal
The reverse brain drain or the brain gain should be started to change the image of India.
Though image of India was created as a talent pool, where the talent is built up and nurtured,
the image of India should be altered that the India is the talent hub for the western world
especially. Former President APJ Abdul Kalam says that it can be happened by fastidious
efforts of the educational institutes and the government as well.
The educational institutions should constantly raise their quality so that the students of India
should not even think about the other alternatives of going abroad for the better education or
quality. There is a damn need for the revamp of the educational system for the utmost quality.

Qualitative aspects involved in this exercise

Several qualitative aspects are involved in this exercise regarding the educational system.

• First the quality should be improved to suit to the contemporary issues and
aspects of the students.

• They should be exposed to the global environment and the world practices that
are happening in the corporate world.

• In addition to the academic knowledge and the curriculum, they should be

exposed to the corporate world of pragmatism.

Role of educational institutes in such a reversal

 The educational institutes should take necessary action about the
augmentation of the quality of the education and the teaching process.

 First the faculty should be eminent to satiate the hungry of the good and
studious students.

 The discipline of the students should be given utmost priority and

importance to the core.

 The students should be given a fair opportunity to explore themselves on

the topics or issues that are covered in their curriculum.

 The educational institutes should have the open or broad mindedness to

accept and implant the suggestions from the students and the faculty members for the
enhancement of the system.

Role & responsibility of policy makers

There is an abundant role for the policy makers also in this regard.

 Some incentives should be given to the scientists or the scholars

who are returning from the abroad.
 The environment or the atmosphere should encourage our
students to come back and to set up their own enterprises here or to serve the nation.

 The image or brand should be created such that the India should
be in a position to attract the talent from the world wide and make whole world to set up
their hubs over here.

 The government should encourage NRIs (Non Resident of

Indians) to come back and settle in India.

 Higher compensation should be offered to them who have global

exposure in their pertaining field.

 The government should bolster the technological innovation to

cheer the talent pool in the abroad.

 The government should egg on the research activities in the all

walks of life to boost up the research scholars across the globe.

 The government should come up with schemes such that it would

cover all the research scholars with some funding and with some amount of
empowerment to utilize those funds for their research purpose and the welfare of the
nation.

 Much attention is needed in the area of corruption and politics in

the nation. Our India is well known for the corruption and that actually is a hindrance for
the advancement of the nation. The government should take de rigueur actions to arrest
the corruption to the possible extent.

 The government should promote the entrepreneurs to set up their

own hubs or enterprise to burgeon the employment opportunities in the nation.

 The government should render concessions or tax benefits to

those who are ready to set up their units from abroad in our India. This would dwindle
the hassles concerned in setting up the industry.

 The government should allocate some funds for various schemes

to attract the talent from abroad.

 The government should set up more premier institute to promote

the high quality education in the higher level.

 The government should encourage professionals be it national or

international based who have contribute towards India for the augmentation of the nation
be it educational field or research field or any other relevant to the national improvement.
  An award similar to ‘Bharat Ratna’ can be given to the individuals
who have contributed significantly to our India.

Actually the ‘Formulation of ‘Brain-Gain’ policy to attract talent from across the world to the
existing and new institutions’ was mentioned by Kapil Sibal’s First 100 days action plan. Sam
Pitroda had gone further to propose to set up a fund of $500 milliion to attract talented faculty
and the researchers to India.

But this proposal is facing intense criticism on the following fronts.

1. The proposed amount is too high in the context of resource constraints and other
priorities.

2. The total budget of all 15 IITs less than the $500 million.

3. It may demotivate the existing academicians and the researchers in the nation who have
opted to stay in India ithout migration and returning back.

4. This proposal is mainly concentrating on the monetary benefits to individual. In addition

to that, it should also cover the recognition or self esteem of the individuals as well.

What is brain gain?

The brain gain the opposite situation to the brain drain where talent seek India for work,
profession or for education. This can be achieved only with the support of the government and
the educational institutions.

Advantage / gain to a country/economy

The brain gain is more advantageous to the country as the students go to other countries and
get global exposure and come back to India with more talent and skill. That too, most of the
students they are turning into entrepreneurs creating and offering ample opportunities for
employment. Moreover, most of the educational institutions especially in higher education are
sending the students abroad for the global exposure. They even have the tie-up with the foreign
universities for the brain exchange. Some institutions send the faculty members for abroad for
the same exchange program. Now-a-days all atleast premier universities or private colleges
have tie-ups with the foreign universities. With the context of mushrooming the deemed
universities and the private colleges, this foreign collaboration plays a vital role in the economy
and in global scenario.

CLASSIFICATION OF BRAIN MIGRATION

In a wider perspective than brain drain only, brain migration may be of the following types

a) Brain over flow

b) Brain export

c) Brain exchange
d) Brain circulation

e) Brain wastes

a) Brain over flow

If the number of qualified professionals is more than the job potential of the country, the surplus
or unabsorbed professionals would migrate to the other countries. This could be termed as
brain spill over. In many Less Deve3loped Countries, this would only happen usually. The
statistics also speak the same. In January 1965, there were 75,000 unemployed engineers,
which is much more than the capacity of India to absorb them. In Latin America too out of
6,00,000 professionals with university qualifications, only 25% are employed productively. In
Nigeria too the same trend follows. 63% of the students in higher education qualify, but only
40% are employed. The surplus or excess would be absorbed in the foreign markets. The
same is in the other countries also like Columbia, China, India, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan,
Philippines and South Korea.

Reasons for the scenario

(i) Over production,

(ii) Low employment generation

(iii) Non-availability of suitable job where brain may be optimally utilized

(iv) Existing brain power lacking in experience/competence for the available jobs
requiring a fairly high standard of efficiency, excellence and training.

b) Brain export

The brain migration when look into the perspective of the sending company, it can be called as
brain export. Few countries they produce the professionals only to export to other countries
such as Barbados and Philippines. These countries do not sufficient potential to absorb the
human capital.

c) Brain Exchange

Brain migration may be in form of exchange of scholars, researchers and students between
LDCs and DCs/ between LDCs themselves for the purpose of mutual benefits in terms of
knowledge, expertise and training. Such type of brain migration can more appropriately be
called brain exchange. Brain exchange is temporary phenomenon where brain loss is
compensated by corresponding brain gain.

d) Brain Circulation

In general most developing countries suffer brain drain because emigrant intellectuals refuse to
return. Some migrants do return to their home countries or become transnational with homes in
different countries.
e) Brain Waste

Sometimes migrants to other countries or urban areas are not able to obtain employment
commensurate with their educational qualifications. This is called brain waste. Most of the
unskilled and skilled labour when go to the other countries this only would happen usually.

References:

MD Charles F. Glassman, Brain Drain - The Breakthrough That Will Change Your Life

Warren Murphy, Richard Sapir, Brain Drain: Destroyer # 22

Maurice Schiff, Çaglar Özden, International Migration, Remittances, and Brain Drain (Trade and
Development)