IIT: Brain Drain or lack of opportunity? - Page 2

Posted: 17 years ago

Source: http://www.ibnlive.com/news/iitians-not-helping-india-kalam/ top/29695-3.html?headline=IITians~not~helping~India:~Kalam

Mumbai: The fresh young graduates of the Indian Institutes of Technology are the toast of the engineering world, both at home and abroad.

They are India's hottest export and it is said that the IITs have produced more millionaires per capita than any other undergraduate institution in the world.

However, the elite IITian now finds himself in the dock, placed there by none other than the President of India himself.

At the IIT's Global Convention held in Mumbai last week, President APJ Abdul Kalam said, "The value addition of IIT is very low for its students. The knowledge products and intellectual properties added by IITians are minimal."

The President's uncomfortable observations about the IITian's contribution to his country - or the lack of it - brings into focus disturbing trends in the institute.

Get a load of this:

    IIT-Bombay sees around 1,500 graduates every year, but it is estimated that over 50 per cent of them go abroad to work, mostly to the United States. There were an estimated 25,000 IIT alumni in the US in 2003. That number is expected to be higher now.
  • A University of California study found that 10 per cent of all start-ups in the Silicon Valley between 1995 and 1998 were by Indians, most of whom had come from the IIT system.

Not surprisingly, IITs are far from forthcoming about the number of their alumni who go abroad to study and work, even though the IIT clique knows that this is an open secret.

Says an IIT alumnus and now the editor of Financial Express, Sandipan Deb, "That is a failure of the Indian industry. You know all these things and then you are hired to look after a boiler or something. That is highly frustrating."

There's no denying the country's IITs have almost single-handedly put India's intellect on the global map, but when the country's President thinks it is sorely underrepresented on the Indian one, it may be a reminder for the IITs to put their achievements in perspective.

Decades old question:

Are IIT'ians deserting India in search of greener pastures? OR are they being forced out of India due to lack of opportunities

I support the later, I feel it it is the politicians favourite pasttime to blame the technocrats of deserting the country, when they cannot provide for the opportunity to the technocrats

I am sure there a lot of IIT'ians here, would like to hear their POV's too

Edited by sareg - 17 years ago
Posted: 17 years ago
I am not an IITian, but I agree with you sareg.

Brain Drain is better than a Drained Brain 🤢 stuck where there is no opportunity
Posted: 17 years ago

Originally posted by mermaid_QT


I am not an IITian, but I agree with you sareg.

Brain Drain is better than a Drained Brain 🤢 stuck where there is no opportunity

neither am I, but I can understand the plight

I was one of those forced out due to lack of opportunities and have very strong feelings about this topic

Any politician who utters the word brain drain has no clue what kind of infrastructure they provide to the people of the country, I was shocked to read this coming from Dr. Kalam, and sad to see him turn into a politician😭

Posted: 17 years ago
I concur. I hope to see multitudes of posts following yours and mine discussing "how it is up to us to create opportunities, instead of blaming the system". But as you rightly said, if Dr. Kalam can let go his foresight, how do we even begin to blame common people   ðŸ˜­
Posted: 17 years ago
If you all remeber, the incident where a young graduate of IIT was killed as he refused to be the part of bribery and wrote a confidential letter about the happening in construction world. Result ..brutal murder.

We cry that our new generation should take charge and remover rishwat khori but our leader and pioneers of established industry do not let it happen. you voice and you are killed. Most IITians are from middle class (At least was the case in 80s) so parents have high hopes from their child. But cream of India gets taken by outside. In last year they are interviewed and given opportunities abroad. Since they are more appleaing, they move. and luckily here they donot have to fight corruption.
Posted: 17 years ago
In my opinion, it should be compulsory for iit or iim pass out to work in India with an indian company for minumum 2 years. Then only should they be allowed to go to any other country. This way India will get back something from these geniuses(cuz education here is top class plus very cheap compared to foreign universities. What do you thin k about this suggestion? My only problem is that it might be hard to ensure it!

It's definitely not lack o opportunities, atleast not when it comes to IItians or IImians. The world is at their feet, quite literally! But who dosen't want more money, lets' admit it, we study to earn. And if added money comes with a foreign land where lifestyle would be better, then who'd refuse it? It's just the lure of a foreign land i guess! PLus, it'll look good on their resume. It's a pure case of brain drain.

I've head the next Bill gates will be an Indian, and i think so too. But will that Indian make it big in India or some other nation, that remians to be seen!

Preeti
Posted: 17 years ago

Nice topic Vineet Ji!

I wish I were an IIT ian. Sometimes I feel these IIT ians are not responsible citizens,so much of money is invested on them and inturn they fly to other countries as soon they finish their studies in IIt.This is unfair

On the hand.India became very corrupt,full of reservation policies,in every field .Why the hell should a clever IITian waste his/her intelligence when he gets good money and position in Foreign countires or MNC's in India.For whom should they sacrifice their lives by serving people.India is a big country,the poverty of Indian people does;nt decrease even if entire money of Bill gates is spent or entire funds of World Bank are distrubuted.

By going to other countries atleast they are developing technologicallly and economically.

But don't they feel a sense of moral responsibility to serve their motherland???? May or May not be.Becoz because people like me (Dhobhi's Dog) neither go to other country nor serve the motherland.

Cheers,

Mythili

Posted: 17 years ago
India is not certainly a barren land lacking in job opportunities...Yes, they might not get as hefty a pay packet in India as you might get in the USA.. But then the cost of living in India which is considerably lower makes up for it...
India has jobs.. ATLEAST for IITians there are plenty of jobs...
The unemployment is prevalent among the ordinary graduates who are unable to comepte with their counterparts who have higher professional qualifications...

And working in India does not mean having a "Drained Brain" ..... Yeah .....When Indians are ready to drain their brains for another country... They could as well do it for their own country...
Its just the lucre of the west that attracts the youth... And lack of opportunity is a mere excuse to justify their act...
India is not far behind when it comes to scientific research and in the industrial sector...
Posted: 17 years ago
QT, Sareg, Swarj I totally agree with you. Though I would not blame Dr. Kalam for his statement. As President of country he revealed his information, in which he is not wrong from his side, however, like all of you said the lack of opportunity and the example like Swar gave forces these middle class (most of them) crowd to go to land of opportunity.
Posted: 17 years ago
IIT: Brain Drain or lack of opportunity?

Why oh why! How much money Govt. is spending on each IIT grad? How much money does it spend on grads. of other ordinary state run colleges? I bet difference is not that high to hold IITians responsible for their decision, however I like the idea of monetary bond rather a compulsory service. Anyway, admission to IIT is completely merit based and open to everyone, isn't it? 😉

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