Tax the 'Migrants'

From Outlook : The proposed exit tax on students of IITs and IIMs who migrate abroad after their education has its share of supporters and critics-with their sets of reasons.

The Pluses

• It will deter and stem the brain drain
• Since the state heavily subsidises higher education, it has a right to impose the tax
• It will generate finances that could be put in a corpus for deserving students
• Only those who leave the country for good will be penalised

The Minuses

• It will impact only poorer students
• Migration will continue as higher education in India is in a mess. Those who can afford it will pay and exit
• It singles out students from IITs, IIMs
• A better option would be to evolve a rational, market-oriented fee structure. Subsidise students, not institutions