Want to reverse brain drain: Javadekar

Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar today said good education was key to any country's sustainable progress, and the government was launching several initiatives to reverse the 'brain drain'.
Countries with good universities achieve "sustainable progress" and "where the quality of education is not good, that country does not progress," said Javadekar, speaking at convocation of Savitribai Phule Pune University here.
"My best of the best students are going out (of the country)" despite the government investing a lot in the education and "that is my worry", he said.
Students go abroad because they get good resources and infrastructure for research, scholarships, etc., the minister said, adding "I want to retain them and turn this brain drain into brain gain by providing good research and innovation facilities here."

"We are starting a global research interactive network in which students will be provided good scholarship and opportunity to work with top-end foreign laboratories and again come back to India and continue with research," he said.
Government had approved establishment of 'Higher Education Financing Agency' (HEFA) to provide research labs of international standards, scholarships, good teachers and opportunity to students to visit foreign varsities, he said.

The Government wanted to create 20 world-class universities in India, ten private and ten public, he said.
"I am in favour of autonomy and those who will do the good work, they will get maximum autonomy and those who will not work, there will be more regulations for them," said Javadekar.

He urged the students to keep in mind that society, including the poor classes, contributes to their education through payment of taxes.