It is surprising that the number of skilled workers from India emigrating to OECD (Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development) countries leapt to 8.95 lakh between 2004-05 and 2010-11 and increased by 123 per cent in the last 10 years to 2010-11 at 22.38 lakh. A large majority were highly educated. This perhaps accounts for the tremendous shortage of skilled workers in India. But it is a matter of concern that India’s best brains are leaving the country for better prospects abroad.
In ordinary circumstances, considering India’ population and the fact that it does have one of the largest pools of educated people in different disciplines, a brain drain is unthinkable. But the complaint is that the majority of them are unemployable and have to be retrained. Hence the government’s skill-development initiatives. Ironically, India is importing skilled workers from China, Russia and East European countries.
An OECD report says that in 2001 India ranked ninth in the number of migrants and it would be interesting for the government to find out why there was a spurt in highly skilled and educated people leaving India after 2004-05. India was followed by the Philippines, China, the UK and Germany. Interestingly, China accounted for only 15.3 lakh highly educated emigrants, an increase of 86 per cent. The report notes the change is important considering that earlier the top five countries from where people emigrated were Mexico, the UK, Germany, Italy and Poland. It would be interesting to know whether this large-scale emigration of skilled workers still continues.
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