Is brain drain bad for India? How about the rest of the world?

As children of the brain drain (literally as well as figuratively) we are conditioned to think of India’s million-strong brain drain represents just 4.3% of its vast graduate populationthe free market in labor as a good thing for all parties involved. Certainly, free movement of talented professionals has been good for migrating professionals and for the people of the first world — 25% of the doctors in North America, Britain and Australia are immigrants who attended medical school abroad. [Link]

A trickier question concerns the implications of the brain drain for the people in the sending country, the country that the doctors are being drained from. The effects of the brain drain there can be ambiguous – while it leeches away many talented professionals, it also creates incentives for others (who might not have seen education as lucrative before) to get educated, and can therefore create a more educated population than would have existed without brain drain. Some people argue that this is why India has benefitted from/despite brain drain while other countries have been damaged by it. According to the Economist:

Indian students had little reason to learn computer coding before there was a software industry to employ them. But such an industry could not take root without computer engineers to man it. The dream of a job in Silicon Valley, however, was enough to lure many of India’s bright young things into coding, and that was enough to hatch an indigenous software industry where none existed before.

India’s valley-dwellers represent just one contingent in a much larger diaspora. According to the most exhaustive study of the brain drain, released last month by the World Bank, there were 1.04m Indian-born people, educated past secondary school, living in the 30 relatively rich countries of the OECD in 2000. (An unknown number of them acquired their education outside their country of birth, the report notes.) This largely successful diaspora is more than just something to envy and emulate. Its members can be a source of know-how and money, and provide valuable entrées into foreign markets and supply chains.

But Messrs Kapur and McHale think India’s relatively happy experience with its educated emigrés is more likely to be the exception than the rule. Its million-strong brain drain represents just 4.3% of its vast graduate population, according to the Bank. By contrast, almost 47% of Ghana’s highly educated native sons live in the OECD; for Guyana, the figure is 89%. This is not a stimulative leeching of talent; it is a haemorrhage. [Link]

In general, we would do well to remember that India’s experience is different from that of other poor countries. It makes as much sense to generalize from India’s experience to that of another third world country as it would to generalize from the American experience to that of Luxemburg. For better or worse, India is unique, and therefore should not be seen as a model for the rest of the world.

67 thoughts on “Is brain drain bad for India? How about the rest of the world?

  1. I think the Solution is:

    1)Treat IITians as VVIP. 2)Provide them all facilities. 3)Establish a City like SILICON VALLY only for them. It should be in a weather comfortable area. There should be no political intervention.

    They are scientists. I think money will be a least problem. Provide them satisfaction. That will do everything. And no matter who we are, we all love INDIA.

  2. @sank’s comment: Where on the earth did the modesty go. If IIT people are to be treated like this, then how is the business fraternity, for whom these IITians work, are going to be treated ?? Should there be a separate state for the Businessmen/entrepreneurs ??!!

  3. Great idea @53 ! Let’s put together a list.

    India’s Purge List:

    1. Anyone related to Seema
    2. Anyone related to anyone who was responsible for bringing Seema to this world

    I think thats a good start.

  4. do best for india.proud to be an INDIAN.creating something new in our country,new ideas so that people from any corner of world will be attracted and there is concept of BRAIN DRAIN for such people……………not for indian!!!!!!! this can be done with the help of YOUTH- with full of energy and technology in mind…………all depends on the young mind….whether to change ourself by means of foreign countries or to change the INDIA by our thinking and our devotion…………

    NEVER DO THE MISTAKE OF BRAIN DRAIN… MADE THIS CONCEPT FOR OTHER COUNTRIES NOT FOR INDIA.. think for nation……….SWADESH ONLY…………..

  5. what do you think about brain drain?

    definitely! itz good because……………..

    people are getin good facilities in other countries than in india …………….

    so why should they remain here……………….

    they will think of their own good future………..

    why should they bother to think for their own country………

    so do u think itz good?

    so plz leave india and help in controlling population………………

    you

  6. You want students to go by the concept of swadeshi and work within the nation for measly pay packages and no recognition for original work? it is an idealist concept and in reality, no one gives two hoots whether you’re working for the country or not. It is true that other nations are utilizing some of our brightest minds for their benefit but can you blame the students? You’re getting a pay package almost triple of what you would normally get in a GOOD job here. It’s sad but true and there is no foolproof or faster way of preventing this.

  7. INDIA AGAINST CORRUPTION…join it to make india the super power coz even US has debts but if we get back the black money n punish the corrupt we are far more richer than US….at that time US citizens will beg to come to india for employment coz of riches in india…..

    if you are an indian then just join INDIA AGAINST CORRUPTION N FUCK THE FILTHY FOOLS OUT OF OUR WONDERFUL NATION WHO ARE MAKING IT POOR…..

    GOD BLESS INDIA….Jai Hind

  8. I think BRAINDRAIN is very serious problem in India . As we all Indian know that Indians are more intelligent than other country but for earning money everyone wishes that they should work in foreign countries . But think about India why go outside india ? we can develope India and we have really a very intelligent brain . Try to developed the India why are giving your knowledge to other countries ? Firstly as an Indian , as the child of India make India bright and bring it on 1st position . We can do it if we developed our own country. So think for nation. JAI HIND JAI BHARAT .

  9. I think BRAINDRAIN is very serious problem in India . As we all Indian know that Indians are more intelligent than other country but for earning money everyone wishes that they should work in foreign countries . But think about India why go outside india ? we can develope India and we have really a very intelligent brain . Try to developed the India why are giving your knowledge to other countries ? Firstly as an Indian , as the child of India make India bright and bring it on 1st position . We can do it if we developed our own country. So think for nation. JAI HIND JAI BHARAT .

  10. Yawwwnnnn…Not to be rude or anything but seriously ppl do you evn knw what brain drain means..it means emigration of skilled people…nt students who are unskilled who go abroad to study futher..!!

  11. @srestha!!…..u think u r too smart ????not fit to curb brain drain . . . . but well enough to critize it?!!!?!?!? oly coz of goof’s lik u . india is still in this so called” developing stage”. . . . .