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Abstract
This study employed both quantitative and qualitative research methods to collect and analyze survey data that was utilized to identify the reasons why theological students from India choose to remain in the United States.
The purpose and goal of this study was to examine and assess: (1) if there were any differences in the satisfaction levels towards selected factors such as economic, political, social, family, religious, personal, intellectual, etc. in India as compared to the United States, (2) if any factors determined the decision of theological students to return to their homeland or to continue to five in the United States, (3) if there was a significant difference between returnees and non-returnees in their attitudes regarding people who influenced their decision to return to India or to remain in the United States, and (4) if background characteristics played a role in the decision making process of theological students.
Brain drain is used in this study to mean a continuous international migration of highly skilled individuals, from developing nations to First World nations. In this study, it particularly refers to theological students from India, who, after completing their studies in the United States, fad to return to their native land.
As a result of the present study, the definition of brain drain was amplified, an instrument was created to measure the phenomenon among theological students from India in relation to their satisfaction of specified factors both in the United States and in India; on the factors affecting their decision and the people influencing their decision. The findings did not corroborate the idea that people influenced their decision to remain in the U.S. or return to India, neither did it find any significant difference between returnees and non-returnees in their satisfaction levels in the U.S. However, the present study did indicate that there was a significant difference between returnees and non-returnees with the factors that influenced their decision to remain in the U.S. or return to India. Furthermore, it also found a significant difference between returnees and non-returnees on their satisfaction levels with India. The non-returnees had a significantly higher level of dissatisfaction than the returnees with economic, political, social, family, religious, personal and intellectual factors in India.
