Most Nepali youngsters are going abroad to fulfil their goals in life. Due to lack of opportunities and chances in their own homeland they are compelled to move to other countries in search of a good career and better living standards. Many Nepali adolescents are trying to leave their country for a prosperous and wonderful life abroad. Nowadays it has become a burning issue, and in such a terrible situation the government should make some policies to check such problems. It is true that students should get a chance to go abroad for their further studies, however, they should return to their own country after completing their studies or trainings. In this way, they can use their knowledge for the improvement of their own country. If the government does not pay attention to such problems, our country may suffer from lack of young, diligent, dynamic and knowledgeable manpower. I think the best way to solve this problem is to provide practical education and give useful trainings to use young people in our own country.

— Safal Timilsina, Pokhara

As the saying goes, ‘The grass is always greener on the other side’. Many believe this is just to be a whim, but a glimpse at Nepal, in terms of opportunities and job prospects makes us realise that the grass is definitely greener on the other side. Formulating policies, imposing it on people to return, I believe, is not the solution. But if we really want to check youngsters from going abroad forever, policies for ‘good education system’ and ‘job generation’ should be formulated, as these are the prime reasons why youngsters leave their homeland. The government should encourage foreign and local investments as this has the capacity to generate job opportunities. The government should also work towards strengthening the education system by upgrading its educational institutions in terms of use of technology and well-qualified faculty. Private institutions in Nepal, by now, have realised the importance of competition and have buckled up to compete with international institutions. The government institutions, on their part, should at least try and match up to private institutions. If this is done, it could definitely hold back more youngsters. After all, doesn’t a stitch in time save nine. Food for thought!

— Avishek K Karky

I don’t think that policies can be made to check brain-drain. Students prefer to go abroad for world class professional degrees, opportunities to earn while they learn, and ample employment opportunities. Had there been political stability in our country, suitable environment to study, professional syllabus in degree courses, more practical courses and field exposure, more employment opportunities, then students would have been less likely to go abroad. Because deserving manpower are not well paid here, they go abroad as they are well paid there. The right man for right job is also missing here. Relationships work more than qualifications during job recruitment. Had these students gone on government quotas or scholarships, which could have legal provision that they should come back home and serve at least two years at home, as they were studying at the expenses of government, perhaps it would work. But for students who go abroad to study on their own expenses, such policies cannot be made. It’s their choice. However, the government can stop brain-drain by creating ample of employment opportunities, by prioritising and standardising quality of education, ensuring political stability.

— Prachandra Man Mali, Chhetrapati

It’s disheartening to see that more and more youngsters are going abroad every year. I am also looking to go abroad for I cannot see any progress in my career here. I believe people like me are choosing to go abroad because of the prevailing political instability, deteriorating quality of education, and lack of opportunities for university graduates to apply their knowledge. If only the government can improve the country’s political situation, make our education system competent enough so that our universities can compete with universities in US or Europe, and also increase and encourage investments in research and development, then this brain drain can stop.

— Prakash Sah,

Central Department of Microbiology, TU,

n It has become a tradition that youngsters of our country go abroad for better opportunities. This trend has resulted in brain drain. If this situation continues, then it will have a bad impact in a developing country like Nepal. The government should make proper policies for those students who go abroad for studies like after completion of their studies they must return home to implement the skills they have learnt. But if students don’t get opportunities to serve the country, the government should make provisions for them to work in that country only, as some students are doing remarkable work which has helped introduce our country in foreign shores. The government should provide opportunities for students who come back to do work that gives them job satisfaction. If such plans are taken seriously and carried out effectively, skilled manpower will not move to developed countries. Likewise, the government should respect the value of skilled people. While providing jobs, candidates should be selected on the basis of fair competition. The government should establish more companies and utilise natural resources, so that the skilled man power can implement their skills.

— Aastak Mahat, Maitidevi

Apart from having numerous problems due to unemployment and poverty, our country has been disabled because of brain drain. Able and qualified manpower are attracted towards prosperity of foreign countries. Thousands of undergraduates and graduates are moving away to these countries in search of opportunities, social security, better status, good earning. Experts in their fields are welcomed and highly paid in foreign lands. Unemployment has compelled many people to leave their motherland. The inefficient and unstable government system is the root cause of brain-drain. Many development works have been shelved or become unsuccessful due to absence of expert human resources.

The wise use of water resources and technical plus scientific development in agriculture and development in the tourism sector can provide employment opportunities to a large number of Nepalis. This can facilitate the working environment for experts might attract them to work in there native land. The government must enhance the education system of the nation and make it affordable for all citizens.

— Gokarna Dhungana, Tikapur 9, Kailali

n Sadly the present educational infrastructure and curriculum fails to meet the prerequisites for providing higher level education. Also the failure to formulate attractive policies in the education sector and inability to provide world standard education within the country has added to the brain drain in Nepal. This bitter truth is the main reason compelling thousands of students go abroad in pursuit of better and quality education. The apparent reasons for these are foreign degree, lucrative job opportunities, chance of obtaining green card and so on. It’s been seen students with a foreign degree do not want to come home and work for the country. The government must be serious and take initiatives so that the country will have skilled manpower in all development sectors. In order to attain desired goals, the government should come up with effective policies and create conducive environment, must have good employment opportunities and attractive salary. Before permitting any students for higher studies abroad, the government must impose a law to make an agreement between government and students that after completion of studies they will come back and work for one-and-a-half decade here. The provision of working years should be clearly stated.

— Ranju Shrestha

I totally agree that the youngsters should come back to Nepal after completing their studies to do something new for their motherland. Going abroad for higher level of education is a good thing since Nepal is a developing country without modern technologies and methods of education. On the other hand there isn’t any provision from government for economically weak but intelligent students who want to give something to the nation. As a result they start dreaming of going abroad. If this trend continues only old people will remain in a few years in Nepal. So to check this there should be some policy like students should come back to Nepal for at least a couple of years to make the best utilisation of their acquired knowledge. The government should invite qualified Nepali students from colleges abroad and involve them in different developmental and creative activities according to their acquired knowledge.

— Durga Pandey

More and more youngsters are heading abroad for better opportunities every year. Countries like Dubai, Malaysia, Qatar, Israel and India have attracted the semi-skilled and unskilled labourers, whereas USA, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand are the choices of the Nepali students wanting to study abroad. Definitely, most Nepalis working abroad earn much more than their counterparts here in Nepal. Ditto for our countrymen studying abroad with their opportunities to build their career and expand their horizons. But the trend of leaving the country has led to a shortage of manpower in our own country, be it doctors or electricians. But I’m not of the opinion that the students studying abroad on their own expenses should be forced to come back here to work after completion of their studies as it would violate their human rights to work in a safe and better working environment. But I suggest the Government of Nepal to enforce a law that abides all Nepali students studying abroad, after completion of their studies to compulsorily come back to their homeland and serve their country for at least a couple of years, provided that, they get the opportunity to study abroad under various government scholarships and/or funded by foreign university student welfare schemes.

— Cool Cristofer,

Lake Side

Our youngsters are all going abroad. But they should come back to Nepal not only for a couple of years but for the rest of their lives, they should come back to their janma bhumi. They should not forget that Nepal needs young brains and their ideas. The old one can no more develop Nepal. Good ideas can brought from abroad and used for the development of Nepal.

— Manan Bajracharya, Spicenepal Pvt Ltd

Students seek better opportunities to show their talents and gain good education and being a student I would prefer to go abroad for my future studies. When we do so, we see our benefits but never realise the loss that our country bears. I think government or school management should apply policies to bring back students to Nepal to work for 2-3 years. I feel that this policy should not be regulated forcefully as even students’ desires and opinions should be taken into consideration. If they prefer to come back, then proper working opportunities with good pay should be provided to them. I think more then this policy, our government should provide students enough financial assistance so that they can establish their own business and live a good life here in Nepal.

— Aishwarya Rai

Students dream of a bright future and this dream can be materialised if they successfully achieve desired academic degree and find relevant jobs. However, the standard of education in Nepali universities is low. That is why many youngsters opt for going abroad to achieve higher education, this trend is drastically increasing every passing year. The government can do nothing to stop this ongoing trend unless it comes up with firm policies and imposes it strictly. Gaining quality education is the right of every student. But many are lost in the lure of material world when they get a good job, attractive pay and residential permit. In order to lower this trend, the government must make agreements with students and keep photocopies of all official documents including agreement signed. It must be in touch with the university administration and keep up-to-date information of students until the accomplishment of studies. Moreover, it must inform Nepali ambassadors and envoys concerned about the students’ enrolment in related universities. It should also develop a trend that students must inform about their activities to the embassy. The government must strictly advise the embassy that it must undertake the responsibility of every student from the start of academic session till the end. After completion of studies, the students must be sent back home. It’s in government’s hands to manage the brain drain in the country by placing them in appropriate jobs as per their education by fulfilling their needs.

— Sanjay Shrestha

The brain drain is due to lack of facilities in different sectors in our country. None of the sectors are well developed here. Today, this has led to the loss of skilled manpower and slow pace in the development of the country. So, in my view, if not in the educational sector there should at least be better employment opportunities so that after their studies they wish to come back and work and earn here and help strengthen the economy of our country. This provision may also help in improving the education system of Nepal.

— Hima Sharma

Calling back students from abroad to work here for sometime is a good thing. An ‘anti-brain drain policy’ should be drafted that allows ‘free circulation of brains’ within various countries rather than restricting them at certain areas. A considerable increment in the remuneration of scientists and other professionals may also deter this trend. More investment is to be done on the field of Research and Technology to tempt intellectuals to stay back. Moreover, technical subjects at graduate and post-graduate levels should be encouraged so that students needn’t leave their homeland for seeking higher education and career.

— Ritamvara Aryal