Brain-drain has been a matter of much concern to the developing countries. People trained at high cost in developing countries are drained away by advanced countries where they contribute to their growth at a time when they are desperately needed for the same purpose at home. To a developing country, it is not only a severe strain on the financial resources but also a serious threat to successful development efforts and execution of economic, industrial and social changes that are so badly needed in developing countries.

The problem of brain-drain can be tackled in three different ways:
1. Reversing the brain-drain
2. Making use of the scientists and technologists while they are abroad
3. By controlling and regulating the migration of the scientists going abroad.

In countries like the USA, the position is becoming increasingly difficult for Indians to get employment or retain the existing positions. The time is therefore opportune for bringing back the Indian Scientists. It is not as though India could not afford to bring back every Indian but at least where there are well defined and relevant national tasks, we should attempt to bring the scientists where their talents and training could be matched with the tasks.

But before we do that, it is good to understand the psychology of our scientists abroad. It is not that the Indians abroad do not want to come back to our country; in fact quite a few with brilliant record have returned with special skills and experience which have been put to good use, But some come back and also left disillusioned. Why is this? They say it is not the lack of comfort or salaries that drive them away; but it is the environment lacking in challenging opportunities, lacking in the required degree of flexibility, freedom, flow of thought that suffocates them. There is also lack of proper system for ready recognition and rewarding of merit. What is called for then is a change in our approach; a change in our vertical, hierarchial sys