_gotmilk's comments

I originally read: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/linda-rosen/the-truth-hurts-th...

Quote: "People in STEM jobs benefit from being in such high demand. Study[1] after study[2] confirms that STEM professionals get paid more than non-STEM professionals -- often much more -- even when you control for their education and other factors. Contrary to Charette's claim that STEM wages have stagnated, reports from Georgetown, the Commerce Department[3], and the Information Technology Innovation Foundation[4] show that they have risen faster than non-STEM wages, even in recent years. That is a sign that employers are feeling the pinch."

The Studies linked: [1] http://www.esa.doc.gov/Reports/stem-good-jobs-now-and-future

[2] https://cew.georgetown.edu/report/stem/

[3]http://www.esa.doc.gov/Reports/stem-good-jobs-now-and-future

[4] http://www.itif.org/publications/real-story-guestworkers-hig...

I have seen this argument a lot, and it doesn't hold water.

Those STEM majors leaving the field often get salaries higher than people who majored in that field going into it. It seems that these employers value the STEM education moreso than people who major in the same field.

Second, it is entirely possible that these STEM majors voluntarily left the STEM field. More people are doing STEM but that doesn't mean more people are passionate about STEM. Engineering isn't for everyone, and I myself have thought about leaving the field and going elsewhere not because I can't find a job but because I want to.

This very article linked addresses the 3% figure.

There are no Indian universities in the top 200 universities according to the QS World Universities rankings. There are only 3 in the top 300! While I don't know if this is an institutional deficiency(lack of research, distinguished professors) or a lack of quality among students, one thing is for sure and that is Indian degrees are not very respected worldwide aside from possibly Indian Institute of Technology.

From what my father tells me, the K-12 education system is also broken. The public education system is considered a joke in India to the point that anyone who can enrolls their kids into private schools as soon as possible. Most students who pass India's rigorous college entrance exam take extensive coaching(as my cousins have), and this results in a system of college acceptance being determined by wealth.

The thing is, I can't see change coming. India has yet to address nationwide corruption that cripples the whole country!

I know one thing, Silicon Valley is hurting for more H-1B visas to fill vacant jobs. Perhaps one reason SV overwhelmingly votes Democratic is that the Democrats are in general more pro immigration.