The Growing Concern of Brain Drain in Indian Higher Education

In India's vibrant higher education landscape, a troubling trend has emerged: the exodus of talented faculty and researchers to foreign shores. This phenomenon, commonly referred to as brain drain, sees skilled academics leaving prestigious institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) in search of better opportunities. While India produces a staggering number of top-tier graduates each year—evidenced by the fact that over 74 percent of JEE Advanced toppers from 1990 to 2020 have settled abroad—the loss extends beyond students to experienced professors and researchers. This talent flight undermines the nation's research capabilities and innovation potential, particularly when uncompetitive salaries serve as the primary catalyst.

The implications are profound. Institutions struggle with faculty shortages, leading to overburdened staff, compromised teaching quality, and stalled research projects. For a country aiming to become a global knowledge hub under initiatives like Viksit Bharat@2047, retaining this intellectual capital is imperative. Yet, with outbound student mobility reaching 1.33 million in 2024 and forex outflows hitting ₹29,000 crore in 2023-24 alone, the stakes could not be higher.

Unpacking Uncompetitive Salaries as the Root Cause

At the heart of this brain drain lies a stark salary disparity. Under the University Grants Commission (UGC) 7th Pay Commission guidelines, an entry-level Assistant Professor starts at a basic pay of ₹57,700 in Academic Level 10, rising incrementally with experience. Associate Professors in Level 13A earn a basic of ₹1,31,400 to ₹2,17,100, while full Professors in Level 14 command ₹1,44,200 to ₹2,18,200. Including Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), and other perks, the total annual package for a mid-career professor averages around ₹20 lakhs.

These figures, while respectable in a domestic context, pale in comparison to global standards. A full professor in the United States earns upwards of $102,000 annually—equivalent to over ₹85 lakhs—offering not just higher pay but also superior research grants and infrastructure. In the United Kingdom, salaries hover around £80,000 for senior roles, often supplemented by generous funding. This gap compels many Indian academics to seek greener pastures, where their expertise commands premium compensation.

Comparative Insights: India Versus Global Benchmarks

To illustrate the chasm, consider a tenured professor at an IIT: their package might reach ₹25-30 lakhs with additional consulting fees. Contrast this with Stanford or MIT, where equivalents exceed $200,000, plus relocation bonuses and sabbaticals. Even in emerging economies like Singapore, National University faculty earn SGD 150,000+, drawing Indian talent away.

This disparity is exacerbated by stagnant pay revisions. Despite the 7th Pay Commission's implementation in 2018, inflation and rising living costs in cities like Delhi and Mumbai erode real income. Private universities often bypass UGC norms, hiring on contracts with lower pay, further fueling insecurity and migration.

Beyond Compensation: Multifaceted Push Factors

Salaries are not the sole villain. Inadequate research funding—India spends just 0.7 percent of GDP on R&D versus 2-4 percent in developed nations—limits groundbreaking work. Bureaucratic hurdles delay grants, while poor infrastructure hampers experimentation. Work-life imbalance, with heavy teaching loads (up to 18 hours weekly), leaves little room for scholarship.

Cultural factors play a role too. Political interference in appointments and promotions breeds disillusionment. Contractual hiring affects thousands of young Assistant Professors, denying permanency and benefits. These elements compound salary woes, prompting a 62 percent migration rate among top 100 JEE scorers to pursue PhDs abroad, many never returning.

Government-Led Countermeasures: Building Momentum

Recognizing the crisis, the government has rolled out targeted interventions. The Prime Minister's Research Fellowship (PMRF), launched in 2018, provides ₹70,000 monthly stipends—far above standard ₹31,000 PhD fellowships—to nurture 2,000+ scholars at top institutes. This has swayed some talents to stay, converting potential brain drain into domestic innovation.

Further, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) allocates ₹50,000 crore over five years to boost R&D, easing funding bottlenecks. Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) and VAIBHAV summits engage diaspora for short-term visits, fostering knowledge transfer without full relocation.

For deeper reading on student mobility impacts, explore the NITI Aayog's comprehensive report on higher education internationalisation.

The PM Research Chair Scheme: A Game-Changer for Reverse Brain Drain

In a bold 2026 move, the Ministry of Education introduced the Prime Minister Research Chair (PMRC) scheme, targeting 120 elite Indian-origin scientists from abroad. Categorized into Young, Senior Fellows, and Chairs, it focuses on 14 priority areas like AI, semiconductors, and clean energy. Hosted at IITs, it offers flexible terms, high-impact projects, and competitive packages to rival global offers.

This initiative directly tackles salary gaps by enabling performance-linked incentives and endowments, aiming to seed world-class research hubs. Early signs suggest it could repatriate talents who left due to uncompetitive pay, marking a shift from drain to gain.

Leveraging Institutions of Eminence for Talent Retention

Ten universities designated as Institutions of Eminence (IoEs)—including IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, and IISc—enjoy regulatory autonomy to offer market-driven salaries. IIT Delhi targets a ₹10,000 crore endowment for faculty hikes, research grants, and spousal support. IIM Ahmedabad has raised over ₹600 crore similarly.

These flexibilities allow hiring at 1.5-2x UGC scales, attracting returnees. Strategies include tenure-track promotions, relocation aid, and child education subsidies, proving endowments can bridge pay gaps without blanket hikes.

University Innovations: Practical Retention Tactics

• Endowment drives: Alumni pledges fund merit pay and bonuses.
• Career ladders: Fast-track promotions for high-performers.
• Workload optimization: Reduce teaching to 12 hours, freeing research time.
• Wellness perks: On-campus housing, healthcare, sabbaticals.
• Industry tie-ups: Consulting allowances boosting income 20-50%.

IIT Madras exemplifies success, spawning 500+ startups via incubators, retaining entrepreneurial faculty.

Case Studies: Institutions Turning the Tide

At IISc Bengaluru, PMRF fellows cite competitive stipends and state-of-the-art labs as stay factors. IIT Kanpur repatriated alumni via GIAN, enhancing faculty strength by 15%. Private players like Ashoka University offer USD-equivalent packages, drawing global talent.

These models highlight blended strategies: salary supplements via grants, plus non-monetary lures like autonomy and recognition.

Details on PMRF's evolution are available here.

Fostering Industry-Academia Synergies

Partnerships with tech giants like Google and Infosys provide adjunct roles, adding ₹10-20 lakhs annually. Corporate labs at IITs offer joint projects, aligning academia with market needs. This not only supplements income but retains talent by offering real-world impact.

Outlook: Pathways to Brain Gain

With NEP 2020 emphasizing internationalization, India eyes 1.5 lakh inbound students by 2030. Scaling PMRC, expanding IoEs, and R&D hikes could reverse trends. By 2047, a brain gain era—where diaspora returns en masse—is plausible if salaries align with global benchmarks and ecosystems thrive.

Stakeholders must collaborate: policymakers fund boldly, universities innovate retention, faculty commit to nation-building.

Photo by Shashank Raghuvanshi on Unsplash

Actionable Steps for Universities and Policymakers

1. Audit salaries against peers; introduce performance bonuses.
2. Launch diaspora engagement portals for visiting faculty.
3. Invest in labs and admin reforms to cut bureaucracy.
4. Promote work-life via flexible hours and mental health support.
5. Track alumni success to benchmark and lure back.

Implementing these can stem the drain, positioning Indian higher education as a global magnet.