THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Actor Salim Kumar has voiced concerns about the lack of employment opportunities for young people in Kerala, leading many to seek livelihoods abroad. This, he believes, is contributing to a brain drain in the state. During a public meeting in Thodupuzha, he emphasized that the absence of job prospects within Kerala is forcing well-educated young individuals to seek employment overseas.
Furthermore, Salim Kumar expressed his apprehensions regarding the increasing number of students opting for higher education in Canada and the UK, suggesting that this trend highlights the need for improvements in the state’s education system. He pointed out that many students who study abroad do not return to Kerala, instead finding well-paying jobs in foreign countries. A significant portion of them has cited the lack of job opportunities and competitive salaries in Kerala as their reasons for not returning.
Salim Kumar also observed that nurses from Kerala are in demand worldwide. In Kerala, nurses typically earn a maximum of Rs 30,000, whereas in other countries, they can easily earn more than Rs 3 lakhs. This substantial wage gap is a major driver of nurses and other medical practitioners seeking employment abroad, further exacerbating the brain drain from Kerala.
The actor highlighted the dire employment situation in Kerala, where good jobs with competitive salaries are scarce, and access to quality education is limited. He lamented that economic wealth often takes precedence over educational merit, and nepotism and favoritism play a significant role in job allocation in the state. Salim Kumar concluded by warning that if these conditions persist, Kerala may become a graveyard for talent and potential.
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