Is it worth moving back to

India - response by V. K.

Chand

Thanks for your letter, I tend to agree with you to some extent but there are a few points I would like to make regards to some of the points you mention in your letter. paid "corruption" with the help of "clearing agent" in Mumbai I cannot comment on the past but at present customs clearing in Mumbai is not a problem for returning Nri's. Rules have changed considerably and duties have been slashed on most household goods brought back by Nri's returning to India. Of course some unethical customs clearing agents will under the guise of paying off customs officers charge you bribe money which they may not be passing on to customs officers. This is not to say customs are not paid bribes as there are always the odd ones who try to cheat. However if the returning Nri's do their homework they will find customs clearance, hassle free for most of them. "One thinks education & labor is cheap in India. That is wrong." Labor I would say Rupees 5000 monthly for a 40 hour week paid to a driver in Mumbai (as stated in your letter) is cheap labor. Even a house maid for Rupees 5000 and a cleaning lady for Rupees 2000 monthly may be considered a bargain by some. Cleaning ladies from what I understand still get paid an average of only Rupees 500 monthly in many cities in India. Education Nri children are charged higher fees by most educational institutions in India. Does not seem fair but on the other hand foreign students in USA and Canada also are charged more than what local residents pay. I agree with you that OCI holders should be treated at par with Indian Nationals when it comes to educational fees. However applying this principle fairly is easier said than done. Many Nri's, when their children are unable to get admissions abroad think about sending their children to India to study in medical or dental schools. Should they be allowed to bypass the fee structure by just getting OCI certificate which costs $275. Seats reserved for NRIs are usually a method of taking in money. NRIs who wish to utilize these seats are expected to pay. The myth that all NRIs are loaded with money, is still quite common in India. If educational institutions are charging the amounts that you state in your letter, then I tend to agree with you that these amounts are nothing but greed on the part of these institutions, offering admissions in exchange for money. There are probably many laws in India that prohibit such actions but they are hard to prove and enforce. Money in exchange for admissions is usually hidden as a donation that is supposedly given willingly by those seeking admission. Believe it or not, many Indian middle class families also pay such bribes for their children's admissions. "rent for a 1000 sq.ft flat is around Rs.100,000 per month..." Rent would of course depend on the location. India has a lot to offer but lifestyles are slightly different when compared to the United States. NRI's who are thinking of moving back should not burn their bridges abroad just in case they have to return. While there are many NRIs who have went back to India and were not successful in re-settling, there are others who were able to do so quite successfully and are living happily in India. I myself have been through the same situation as you have and can appreciate your disappointment after you moved to India and decided to return to the United States. I lived in North America from 1970 to 1994 and moved to India for a year. Returned to North America in 1995 just for my children's higher education. Presently retired I spend half my time in India and North America. Despite the pollution, corruption and many problems in India there is something that always attracts many of us to return to India.

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