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Beyond brain drain
Reservation alright, but where is skilled labour Campus Notes
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Beyond brain drain THE ultimate aim of any civilisation is to serve humanity. These words, though spoken centuries ago, still hold relevance in today’s world, better known as a global village. Talking of the much-debated brain drain, it is one such topic which has been definitely much more criticised than understood. In today’s era, when globalisation has made world a smaller place to live in and when one ought to keep pace with the times, criticising brain drain or perhaps saying that “staying back is a better option” is perhaps a logical impossibility. How can we remain static in a dynamic society? How can we remain unchanged, when change is the law of nature? How can we conclude that those who live abroad don’t serve their motherland? Perhaps all these questions have a common answer, which is indeed the truth that brain drain plays a pivotal role in any kind of development. If we talk at the individual level for a moment, the reason for brain drain is striving for a better platform, where individuals can prove their mettle. Talking of the so-called best brains, the Silicon Valley boasts of over 25,000 IIT alumni. The IITians, doctors, software engineers, etc., who leave the country, will always be recognised as Indians only. The developed nations will always look back at us for professionals. When a student goes abroad to study and does not return for a long time, it does not mean that the country has lost him; but then the country is just waiting for him to return well equipped with knowledge and skill to serve his motherland in a better way. Talking on political grounds, the large population of Indians abroad has helped create a niche for India in the world political map. A recent example of US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama condoling the death of General Sam Manik Shaw can be viewed as a political move to win the hearts of a large number of Indians who will be one of the major deciding factors in the elections to come. The economic front too needs to be discussed. The recent comment by the World Bank that “human capital flight increases global economic income” is in itself explanatory. The benefits of foreign exchange have enormously generated direct investments from $3 billion in 1980 to $22 billion in 2005, which is indeed a giant leap. Remittances and foreign exchange contributed by NRIs definitely give a boon to India’s economy. Citing an example in favour of brain drain, we talk of Dr Hargobind Khurana. Had he stayed back in India, he would have attained the post of a Professor at maximum, but then he got worldwide recognition as an “Indian scientist” once he moved out. And his discovery did not specifically benefit a particular part of the world but the whole world. The example of Kalpana Chawla needs a special mention. She not only got recognised as an astronaut but specifically brought back laurels for her country also, and the list is endless. But then the nationalistic ideas held by some of us can’t be ruled out. Another view, which is strongly supported by a part of population, is that brain drain is perhaps a hindrance to the nation’s progress. Definitely, we can’t be myopic in vision and choose to prioritise our personal interests but have to shoulder the responsibility towards the society we belong to. The most commonly used expression by the Gen-Next is that “My country is a useless piece of barren land, where trees of opportunities can never grow”. Is it fair to call it a barren land when pioneers like Rabindra Nath Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi, Baba Amte, K. K. Birla have worked and flourished on this soil? In this the way, the youth should return the turn and turmoil of family, college, school, society and the whole nation that helped in carving their skills to the maximum. Is this the way to respect the social, moral and economic expectations that the country has from us? The answer is an emphatic ‘No’. Brain drain sounded logical in the 60s and 70s when we didn’t have much resources. However, are there seriously no good opportunities in India today? Definitely not. Today, when we have a sound education system, when many MNCs are desperately trying to open their branches in India and when the GDP is touching double figures, does the West still seem that starry? Besides the global areas, the flight of human resource from one profession to other within the same country is also turned as or better classified as “internal brain drain.” Within the country, there is shocking news with almost 78 per cent of engineers after graduating in the fields of civil, instrumentation, electronics, mechanical and biomedical engineering leave their respective fields to join the call centers, which on short term may provide a feast of monetary benefits but on long term fizzle out. A majority of students doing MBBS finally land on administrative jobs or do management, little realising that instead of scribbling on files, they would have probably improved the infrastructure of the nation by utilising their skills in the right direction. According to some sections of the society, brain drain, whether global or internal, is a serious blow to the economy of any developing country like India. Talking of statistics, there are almost 60,000 Indian doctors practising in the US, which form a whooping 12 per cent of the total doctors present home. It is noteworthy that this is the condition, when more than half of the country is still being served by RMPs and substandard labs. Since this sector has the property that requires the balance of both the skill and technology to be effective, loss of any link in the chain leads to substantial and adverse ripple effects. There are almost 11,000 university graduates and 1/3rd IITians and IIMians who migrate every year. With this we are not only losing $5000/IITian by what is lost is brain and intelligentsia. So, the slogan should be “train, retain and sustain” and instead of talking about brain in drain, one should emphasise on how to improve the drain. Indeed, the very notion of “brain drain” may seem completely outdated or wrongly imply, that the movement of highly skilled personnel everywhere and anywhere is a bad thing. Instead, what we need are better methods to assess the net impact of migration—including but not limited to brain drain. So, enhanced policies that target problems where and when they arise should be devised.
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Reservation alright, but where is skilled labour THE Himachal Pradesh government is mulling 70 per cent reservation for Himachalis in up to 5 MW power projects. Already much hue and cry is being raised by political leaders regarding the non-implementation of 80 per cent reservation in the state industry. However, what the state leaders are ignoring in their political rhetoric over reservation for Himachalis in the industry is that they do not have technically qualified labour to supply to industry. The present education system is producing maximum unskilled labour that is not of any use to the industry. As a result, the industry is forced to employ technically qualified trained professionals from other states. An analysis of the data collected from the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education reveals that even at the 10+2 level, just 15 per cent students opted for science subjects. This year, only 15,500 students, out of 1 lakh students, opted for science subjects in the entire state. Out of them just 11,539 students passed. Sources say that not even half of these science students go for further technical qualifications as engineering or diploma courses. Lesser paying capacity and very few technical or professional institutions in the state are basic reasons due to which students are not opting for higher qualification. The analysis of data reveals another startling figure. Not even one per cent students are opting for vocational subjects. The school education board is offering vacationing courses in accounting and auditing, computer technique, electronic technology, maintenance and repair of electrical appliances and food sciences subjects. This year, 795 students opted for vocational subjects and only 596 students managed to pass. The situation is that majority of students go for basic arts subjects at the graduation level. Educationists say that in other states, the colleges offering basic courses are diversifying to professional courses. However, in Himachal, the government is opening more colleges to offer basic courses that have lost relevance in the current job market scenario. Thus, the state needs to train its youth for jobs in industry rather than imparting just basic education. For this, more ITIs and diploma colleges are required in the state to meet the labour requirements of the industry and implement the reservation policy. The government also needs to attract the upcoming BPO industry in the state, which is hiring youth from Himachal for its operations at Chandigarh and Delhi. Though thousands of Himachali youth are working in BPOs in other states, the state government has failed to attract even a single company.
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Campus Notes Literature provides a humane outlook to human beings. It acts as a tool for the sensitisation of society and facilitates its democratisation. These views were expressed by eminent litterateur and Director of Haryana Police Academy, ADGP V.N.Rai, while delivering the presidential address during “A Dialogue with Litterateur” programme organised at the Department of Hindi here recently. Noted Hindi writers Maitryee Pushpa and Anamika were the key speakers. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Maitryee Pushpa said she was inspired by villages and rural life in her writing. “I have tried to capture the world of rural women in my novels,” she said, adding that love was at the heart of her creative endeavour. Well-known writer and poetess Anamika pointed out that feminist writing was echoing the concerns of women who had been subjugated by the patriarchal society thus far. “The bundle of pain and humiliation within a human being bursts out as literature,” she opined, adding that literature provides a platform for democratic space in society. The authors interacted with the audience after the lecture session. Prof Rohini Agrawal, Head, Department of Hindi, said, “Today, literature is trying to bring out women and downtrodden from the margins to the mainstream of society.” She said literature was an effective tool to provide dignity to women. Induction programme A two-day induction programme for the new entrants to the MBA programme at the Institute of Management Studies and Research (IMSAR) of MDU was organised recently. Corporate professionals Rajbir Singh and R. S. Dabas (IMSAR alumni) inaugurated the programme. They gave details to students about the requirements of corporate world. The IMSAR Director, Prof A. K. Rajan, and senior faculty member Dr H.J.Ghoshroy spoke on the occasion. Meanwhile, a Teacher’s Day function was organised on the university campus. Dr Ramdhan Singh memorial lecture was organised to mark the occasion.
Extension lecture-cum-workshop
An extension lecture-cum-workshop was organised at the Department of Computer Science and Applications of MDU recently. Sunit Mukherjee, a lecturer in English at Government College, Dubaldhan, spoke on “Personality Development, Communication and Soft Skills” and conducted a session on “Effective Resume-Writing and Interview Skills”. The Head of the host department, Dr Nasib Singh Gill, delivered the welcome address, while Dr Rajender Singh, Reader, proposed the vote of thanks.
Last date extended
The MDU administration has extended the last date of admission to undergraduate as well as postgraduate courses at affiliated colleges of the university with a late fee of Rs 1,000 up to September 29. A university spokesperson said the decision had been taken in view of representations received from students and requests of principals of affiliated colleges. The late admissions against vacant seats will be made on merit basis. — Contributed by Sunit Dhawan
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Deadline Column 163 (September 20, ‘08)Armed ForcesIntegrated HQ of MOD (Army), Adjutant General’s Branch, ADG Recruiting, West Block III, RK Puram, New Delhi 900108 www.indianarmy.gov.in10+2 Technical Entry Scheme Course-21 (July 2009)Eligibility:
Unmarried males; 10+2 (PCM). Selection: SSB Interview: February / March ‘09; Medical Test. Application Form: Send in prescribed format at C/o 56 APO to the above address. Superscribe on envelope “APPLICATION FOR 10+2 (TES) COURSE SER. No. 21, JULY 2009”. Details: Employment News (13 - 19 September 2008) / Website Application Deadline: 31 October 2008
Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC), Dehradun (Utt)RIMC Entrance Exam (July 2009)Eligibility:
Boys in / passed Class VII. Exam: English & Maths: 01 December ‘08; General Knowledge: 02 December ‘08; Viva Voice; Medical Application Form: Send Rs 250/- by DD favouring “The Commandant, RIMC, Dehradun” drawn at SBI, Tel Bhawan, Dehradun (Bank Code: 01576) at the above address. Application Deadline: 30 September 2008
The
Indian Navy, PO Bag No 04, Nirman Bhawan Post Office, New Delhi 110011
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