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I live in France UK USA but I love india this is typical reply who left the india..Well now days the the Patriotism and citizenship of India is almost non- existent…More and more people get educated from IIT and IIM they want to leave india as soon as possible…There typical reply is that best quality work life balance etc etcI got more freedom I can wear shorts no-one bat a eye to me this is freedom i want ,the currency is more powerful I can travel around the world the world euro/ dollar / Kuwaiti dinar , am financially independent I can do job and pay for living which fullfil..Europe is very safe beautiful , it's a heaven on earth 🌎 it's a like dreamOvercrowding I can't travel across the country it's very devastating it's very uncomfortable it's very smellyAnything is allowed if it’s for religion.Logic and scientific evidence be damned because god must be the answer to everything right? Whether your burn ton of mango woods for havan or cut the thousands of goat for sacrifice for God which is non existent .Then people Write this on quora who praising Europe..Climate - Netherlands is a country with moderately warm summers and cool winters, and typically high humidity. During summer, sun rises at 5:00 AM and sets at 10:00 PM. During winter, sun rises at 9:00 AM and sets at 4:30 PM. It took some time for me to get adjusted to the climate and daylight changes. This was a complete different experience for me, since I was used to the climatic conditions in India where the daylight change is almost constant throughout the year.Greeting everyone with smile - I am not sure if this is followed in other countries as well. In Netherlands, when we make eye contact with strangers they will smile and greet even if we don’t know them.Appointments and Punctuality - Appointment is mandatory for any formalities like opening bank account to visiting doctor. Hospitality and the way they treat customers are unimaginable. When I opened my new bank account in ABN AMRO, a dedicated officer spent around one hour to explain me the end to end process followed in their bank. Government employees are very friendly in nature. It’s much easier and hassle free process to get work done like registering new address and getting BSN in the local municipality (aka Gemeente).Public Transport, Roads and Traffic rules - Rules are followed strictly and traffic monitoring is completely automated. Vehicles will stop until the pedestrians cross the road even if there is no signal. Roads are replaced frequently to ensure the quality and safety for transport. From children to elders, everyone use bicycle to travel to school and office. There is a separate track for bicycles in the road. One interesting fact is that the number of bicycles in NL is more than the entire population of dutch. Public transport in NL uses chip card for payment. No need to pay cash, just swipe in and swipe out. People are well behaved and they stand in a queue to get into bus/train.Medical Care - It is difficult to get Doctor’s appointment for common health problems like fever and cold. Paracetamol is the only medicine that is prescribed for all the minor health issues, which can be bought in any super markets. Patients are treated with high class medical facilities if they are diagnosed with any disease and the expenses are bore by the insurance companies. TB test is mandatory for all the expats travelling to NL since they are more cautious about spreading the disease to the local dutch citizens.Food and Eating habits- Dutch people mostly prefer having vegetable salads and fruits for lunch. Beef and Pork is the next preferred meat here after chicken and they don’t usually eat spicy food. Alcohols are sold in all the super markets. Government gives more importance to agriculture, and NL is the 2nd largest food exporter in the world.GDPR Regulation - This is applicable to the entire European Union which came into effect on May 2018. GDPR ensures data privacy and security. Public and Private organizations in EU cannot share personal data without users consent.Preserving Nature - Government gives more importance to save natural resource. We can find canals in every place. There are more than 10,000 operational windmills in the country. NL government is planning to permit only electric cars by the end of 2030 to reduce pollution…Why do you want to leave India, if you do?I want to settle abroad, because in IndiaYou have to conform to nineteenth century standards before loving someone.People belonging to 198 tribes are ‘habitual offenders’ by birth.A man has to carry his dead wife on his back for 10 km to cremate her.The police are busy searching for MLA's buffaloes.The government believes marital rape doesn't exist.We're the fifth largest economy, and we stand below Bangladesh in many social indices like infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate, etc.You cannot criticise or make fun of the government.Your live in partner can sue you for rape and ruin yourThere are a lot of reasons why I want to leave India and there are reasons I want to stay as well although I am not going to focus on those here. Even though, there will be some points you might not agree on or criticize me for it, I am completely fine with it as you don’t need to agree with all of them. But these are the things I have felt that make me want to leave India and I am sure there will be many who would agree too: -1) Overcrowding – I live in the city of Mumbai and have been travelling in local trains since past 6 years during my high school, college and now job. Local trains are the lifeline of Mumbai and they are the fastest mode of transport in the city during peak hours compared to the highly congested roads of Mumbai. From 7-11 am, CST down line and 5-10 pm Kalyan / Kasara line (same goes for Western Railway), the trains are extremely crowded. Be it the first class compartment or second class compartment, you will be mashed the entire ride. Unless you live near a station from where the train originates,you can kiss your hopes of getting a seat goodbye. If you catch a fast train instead of a slow one, you better pray to reach your destination in one piece and alive because you would pretty sure be hanging near the door the entire time! I love this city and I can’t leave it for too many reasons. Most of the opportunities for employment and academic related are concentrated here. I have access to major railway terminals, an international airport, high class multi specialty hospitals, state of the art malls and entertainment complexes, etc. There are lot of advantages of living in a city although there are lot of disadvantages primarily being overcrowding. There are no or minimal problems related to that in developed countries. Many would argue that public transit is poor in US when compared to India, but the economy of countries like US has adapted to a driving culture with excellent road infrastructure and low gas prices. I can’t travel by car in India regularly where oil prices are so high and road quality is so low.2) Dirt and Filth – I have been on foreign trips and to those people who haven’t, let me tell you its an eye opening experience. The moment you step off the tarmac and take in the view of the alien land, you can truly see what cleanliness and organization of public infrastructure looks like. The absence of pan-stains on the sides of the train or streets, proper streets for people to walk on without hawkers or bus stands or stray dogs, proper signs and paint marks for speed breakers, speed limits, stop signs, destination boards, etc. just makes you feel why there is no such thing in your country. Millions of people pay taxes and more than that is spent because of which we have a fiscal deficit yet we don’t get the privilege of such basic infrastructure that is the norm there. There are dustbins at regular intervals with special tray for cigarette butts, the garbage is segregated at the source and treated at the end. On the other hand, Deonar dumping ground in Mumbai is way overfilled from its capacity with no segregation and no treatment. Ragpickers get diseases and hurt on a regular basis and fires are frequent that just pollute the already polluted air. I have been diligent with cleanliness –I keep my litter in my bag until I can dispose it off in proper bins, I recycle all the paper and bottles and clothing (which I donate to the needy), I keep food wastage to a minimum, etc. Yet I see people littering, spitting, throwing garbage be it a poor uneducated man or a rich dude in an Audi – Can I change everybody? No.3) Sanitation – I really appreciate PM Modi’s Swacch Bharat Abhiyan and I think it is high time in this country we make each and every person have access to proper clean toilets. As I live in Mumbai, let me tell you the usual scenario. Before we go out anywhere, unless its somebody’s house it is imperative to have bladder check because you never know if you might find a decent toilet or not. Its ironic but a person in emergency would go to a mall made by a private company than use a public toilet. A person would use a toilet in McDonalds (literally everywhere especially near stations) than use one at railway stations. I lived in one of my cousin’s hostel for a short period of time (It was a public university) and the washrooms were downright disgusting. They stank of putrid smell even before entering, commodes were overflowing and water was scare. I just pitied the people who had to use it in emergencies.4) Moral Police & S*x – India is the land of 1.2 billion people. The place where Kamasutra originated. The place where we see porn among idols near various ancient sites and sculptures. Yet, we CANNOT talk, see, hear or even show a remote connection to sex! Sex Education is a joke here. We turn our heads when we see a condom commercial with family. We beat up and mentally torture the kids watching porn rather than teach them. Do you know just to what EXTENT people are dumb about sex? Just read the sexpert column in Mumbai Mirror by Dr. Mahindra Watsa and see the kind of questions out there. I admire Dr.Watsa’s wits and patience to answer such questions with grace and knowledge. I don’t condone any sort of public love making or indecency yet it is shameful to even hold hands or let alone hug a person from the opposite gender in a public place. I could be hugging my very own sister and people would stare at you as if you just committed a sin right there! There are reports that police barged in on couples in hotel rooms and charged them with public indecency!Yes, you heard it right! HOTEL ROOMS, for god’s sake! Is there any place left for 2 lovers in this overcrowded city for some privacy! Are they affecting ANYBODY by being alone in a room where NO ONE can see!5) Traffic rules – We wear helmets to avoid getting caught and pay a bribe. We go way ahead of line when the signal countdown is less than 20 and almost across the road by the time it is less than 10. We change lanes without indicators or use a one way road for our 2 way benefit “ki sab chalta hai”. I was once stuck in an intersection in Chicago and the discipline of the drivers was so awesome that as 2 road conjoined into 1 lane,the traffic would move in a way that one car would move from 1st road then another car from 2nd road then next car from 1st road and so on… It was such a beautiful system yet I could never imagine such thing occurring here. People ram and budge into corners as if saving that extra 2 seconds is going to save a life. I have seen autorickshaw drivers showing hands and legs as indicators as if the purpose for the lights on the vehicles was for aesthetics.6) Corruption & Bureaucracy – This factor has highly come down in India yet it has a long way to go. From getting a passport to getting a big real estate project passed, every stage of India’s administration requires a “karcha-paani” to get things done. The only advantage is it gets things done faster if the bribe is good enough. Otherwise, the duties and responsibilities of people that are obligated to do this work are not only going to delay or permanently rest on the matter but also ask you for more and more as the work increases. This is frustrating, shameful and at times impossible to work with. I understand some government officials are paid less and they should get a salary hike but not at the expense of common public in the form of corruption and biasness. The MPs are demanding more and more salary on top of numerous perks they enjoy and common government servants are struggling with their normal pay.7) Festivals – I am going to get lot of hate for this point and I am sure lots of people admire and enjoy Indian festivals with jest and heart filled joy. Many of the NRIs return to India because they miss the color and atmosphere of festivals abroad. I enjoy them too but most the times they are headaches. Diwali, the festival of lights is to be celebrated with sweets and family. We do that but we do more. People burst firecrackers that last all night with the decibel levels only going louder every year! You can’t drive safely on the roads because slum children use it as their playground and you never know when a sutli bomb might just burst below your car’s fuel tank! The air pollution goes off the charts and many people suffer respiratory problems. Ganesh Chaturthi – People purchase non-biodegradable idols made of PVP and blare loud music of holy songs all day and night! The idols are then submerged in water polluting them. Noise is common during Janmastami, Ambedkar Jayanti and Navratri as well. A person can’t have peace of mind during those days. Students have study leaves during festivals and have exams immediately after and they can’t study. People returning tired from work can’t sleep at night because of loud music. The pandals are set up right in the middle of the roads and traffic goes haywire. The idols are transported from the pandal to a pond or sea kilometers away on roads with slow speeds and crowd of people blocking every inch of space that driving is nightmare. What if there is an ambulance or a fire truck stuck in traffic? Somebody might just die and no one would realize or care.8) Purchasing power – We earn in rupees and spend in dollars! Smartphones costs upwards of 50K, laptops – 70K, Trousers, shirts, T shirts – 1 to 2K, Pants / jeans – 2-3K. A decent 2 BHK apartment in better neighbourhood in Mumbai would cost no less than 2 to 3 crores. A car costs upwards of 4 to 5 lakhs. How many people can boast of an income to sustain a livelihood with such prices? Fresher from good universities start with barely 4 to 4.5 lakhs of income. Even with a 10-15% rate of increase p.a., its going to reach 15 lakhs in 10 years. Can you sustain a family in a metropolitan city? Can you save enough for higher education, marriage (which is again such a big deal here), retirement? People work for hours on end and get paid in peanuts. There is no law or regulation to prevent the number of hours a day a company can milk an employee.9) Slow Internet – One of the frustrating reasons in the digital age is the slow internet speed. It is slowly improving and there are fiber networks being set up and 4G just launched yet the internet is pitifully slow at many places. The mobile data charges are through the roof and yet the quality is shameful.10) Customer Service – The customer service in India is pathetic. Be it big e commerce companies like Flipkart, Snapdeal or telecos like Vodafone, Reliance or even computing companies like Apple. My macbook malfunctioned within days of purchasing and it took innumerable phone calls, visits to service center and 2 months to replace it with a new one. I have relatives and friends in US where they submit a faulty phone or device and it is replaced over the counter with no questions asked and no charges. Amazon USA accepts returns of products upto 30 days after purchasing and even if you have used them because for them customer service is number 1 priority. Although it is not advisable to exploit such good policies.11) Quality of Education – Why do so many middle class Indians go abroad to do their masters? Why do they not study in IIMs or IITs?- Reservations – SC/ST/OBC and god knows what other castes are there that just being born into one of them entitles you admission into premium institutes with low or no grades and other governmental benefits. A general candidate working much harder and having much dire financial traits won’t get into them because his caste is different. Why would somebody want to tolerate this system?- Campus – Have you seen the campuses on some of the foreign institutes? They are just worth the money. The mess and the libraries in campuses across India except for few top institutes are just dirty, dinghy and not worth the money. The hostels are crumbling, the food is stale and unhygienic and libraries don’t have enough books. The labs have outdated equipment, the faculties are sometimes least bothered and budgets are low.- Research – Many students who want to pursue further research into their field or phD find foreign institutes much better in terms of support, faculty, equipment and funding. This encourages them and makes the work easier and more productive.12) Weather – This is not a negative point for India but the weather in lot of foreign countries is lot more pleasant and cool. The temperature never goes to the extent of 40 to 45 degree Celsius as it does here (Summer 2016). If a person prefers colder climates over hot and warmer ones, foreign countries would appeal to them. The temperature in US can go really down in winters and that would be frustrating too but its really a choice between cold & hot.13) Public Service – Have you seen an accident on road and how people gather around, who does no one come forward and help? Or if you see some injustice happening in front of your eyes, would you help or think twice? Some Samaritans do help and take up the mantle and help our society but why are they so few? Why doesn’t everybody help at the first instance? You can’t really blame the people. They are just victims of the “system” in place. The commonplace excuse – “Mein aise sab chakkar mein nahi fasna chahta”. And its true! People are scared to file a complaint in police stations fearing the cops will ask untoward questions. The justice system lags so bad that perpetrator won’t see the bars anytime soon and that too for a short time. Pizza reaches faster than ambulance! Maybe it’s the traffic,maybe it’s the response time, maybe its something else but in the end the victim suffers and dies sometimes. Is there anyone to blame? Nope.In the end, I would just like to say that I am NOT against India or Indian people in any way. These are some of my experiences and facts that I feel make me want to leave India. Its really a personal choice and that shouldn’t make somebody unpatriotic or any less Indian. Migration from India is high and increasing day by day, maybe some of these problems are the reason and maybe they are not. Its high time we fix them and let the country progress towards becoming a developed nation. There have been lot of positive changes in the past 2 years and I hope they continue to do so. Hopefully someday we won’t have any of the problems mentioned above by me! :)Before answering the real question I want to tell you I am a proud Indian who loves her nation like all other Indians.I am doing MS from Germany.let me elaborate why I left India and why I don't regret it.I was a software engineer in one the best IT firms in the world and was working there for more than two years in last two years I was earning well but did not had a single increment. Yes that's right not a single increment while my US counterparts who joined with me got promoted in front of me. Not because i was not deserving but because Indian IT population is cheap labour for the world.Infact none of the people who joined with me got any increment.Indian team members used to work in shifts as we were working with cloud services but there was no such concept for US counterparts. I used to work in odd shifts which either used to start in 6 in morning or used to end in 11 in the evening but US teammates would come to office by 10 am in normal working hours. ( trust me that is dream company for any software engineer)US counterparts would simply get all the public holidays be it thanksgiving ,Christmas etc but we in India had to work even on days like diwali, holi (although we were paid three times of salary that day ). I still remember the day I had to fight with my manager for an off on Rakhi day.I got frustrated within a year , I started looking for options. All my colleagues who joined with me were either studying for Cat or were going to US for MS.I had friends who gave two to three attempts of CAT and GATE but still could not secure the admission ,thanks to reservation system and amount of competition you face to get into IITs and IIMs.I didnt want to waste my two years preparing for Cat.Many friends actually switched to GMAT from CAT. I didn't had money to goto US school as the expenses were very high. I found about Germany that there is no tuition fees there and two to three universities there are actually among top 50 universities in the world.I aimed those three universities and gave necessary exams,GRE and TOEFL.I applied to universities and I got admit from all of them thanks to my good marks in exams and good btech grades. Had i tried to secure admission in India it would have easily taken me one two years. I chose Germany not because India does not have quality education but because I didn't had time and patience to prepare for entrance exam to get into college. Getting into IIM or IIT is way more tough than getting admit from ivy league. (I know people who were rejected by IITs but are in MIT, UCB and Caltech.)So I left India and it's been close to 8-9 months and I am loving it here because of following reasons1. I am in one of the best universities of the world with no tuition fees. I am doing part time in software company for my monthly expenses ( had I been in IIM I would have to spend atleast 15 lakhs plus my living expenses,iits too have huge fees and no part time of course)2. I can travel to any country in Europe with my EU visa, Europe is breath takingly beautiful and clean( India is of course very beautiful but not very clean plus not very secure for a girl to travel alone)3. I get to meet multicultural people in my dorm and university coming from all parts of the world. (I have hungarian ,greek ,pakistani ,palestinian , german ,indonesian,afghani flatmates.and this is not possible in India.There are two Pakistani guys who are my flatmates and we are best friends, in India I could not even dream of having friends across the border because of obvious reasons.)4. Lot less competition to find jobs and lowest unemployment rate( here there is good demand of IT engineers and very few available :) , reverse is the trend in India )5.Great education system , no cramming ,amazing projects and amount of practical knowledge you get is unparallel. (Lot of cramming I had done during my bachelor's and lot less practical knowledge)6.Very low crime rate. I travel anytime I want and nothing has ever happened to me.(you can not think of taking a metro in Delhi at 11 in the night)7.lot less time in getting your office work (here you can activate your bank account, extend your visa, apply for residency permit ,get your semester ticket from four different offices in half day. In India we all have faced inefficiency in government offices at some point or other but yes things are changing now :) and we have long way to go )8.You won't feel pollution in your daily life here.In Delhi and other big cities pollution level is so high that you never know when you will get asthama.9.Law and order well enforced ( people can't get away with crimes.In India we all know fates of celebrities like Salman khan and billionaires like Vijay mallya ,nothing will happen to them )10.0 interference ( people won't interfere in your business ,in India every neighbour and distant relative would worry about my marriage)11 No show off ( people are simple, and don't do things just to please or show off to society.. Whereas we all know how much people in India would spend just on a wedding to maintain their status in society ,some people are so insane that they would even consider taking loan for marriage ceremony alone. )11.I have freedom to wear anything without fear of being judged or teased.So due to these reasons I think leaving India was good decision.Why do many Indians want to leave India to settle abroad? Why is ownership of the country almost non-existent among today's youth?How is the life of Indians who settle abroad (US, UK, Canada, Australia or New Zealand)? What’s their daily life like? Is it better? Is it worth separating from their friends, relatives and country? What do they miss? Do they want to come back?How could I get out of India permanently? I literally wasted my youth just fighting for food, water, and electricity. I mean, are we living in the stone age where man still has to spend most of his time surviving?If this question would’ve been asked a couple of years ago, I may have had a different answer.But truth to be told I do want to leave. Now as I’ve read in many of the answers written by hundreds of people like no opportunity, no career, corruption etc etc. I just want tell a short extended story, so please bear with me if you are actually reading this answer out of the hundreds of answers given by various smart and mature people.The story begins in my school in 10th standard . me along with my two bro like best buddies, let’s call them S and D. So we had lot of fun in 10th and after boards it was time to take our first career move like any other Indian student. It turns out both of them wanted to become a doctor so they opted for Biology in 11th standard and me the aimless wanderer took maths Science (Courtesy of good board marks and xyz relatives advice).Fast forward 2 years later. Both of them got admission in 2 private medical colleges and I got into Computer Engineering.Things went well and we stayed in touch. As they continued their MBBS, two major incidents took place which started changing my views about not leaving the country (because I was so damn patriotic).Incident 1-S was studying MBBS in a college in Madhya Pradesh. All went well and suddenly one day, when he went home for holidays, the police entered his home and detained him for allegedly cheating in the MP PMT exam AKA the Vyapam Scam. He was earlier told that his student status might be in jeopardy due to it, but he never expected cops to be on his door.Now you might think he cheated, he deserved it, and you are only saving him because you are his friend etc etc. Truth to be told, yes I’m his bro, and that’s the reason I know that he did not cheat, fuck moral, that guy doesn’t even have stomach for it. And still if my word is not enough, then his mark sheet speaks for itself, the guy from who, he “cheated” had less marks then him (not just 2–3 marks, the difference was more then 10).The aftermath was worse. All the students (around 1200 of them) were released but their admission cancelled till the case was over. Which took over a year, between this all the murders started happening in the case and it became a media circus, which lead the inclusion of CBI. This lead to further delay of over another year as CBI was short of resources and they had to look into every student.S was shocked, sad, depressed and his condition was getting worse everyday, still that guy had faith in judicial system. Well it failed him, along with all the other students, when supreme court cancelled their admission. The criminal investigation still going on the students.Incident 2D as I mentioned also got admission in a college of Madhya Pradesh for MBBS . (By now you people might have understood we are from Madhya Pradesh). So D is studying in this college, he knew about S and he use to thank god everyday for not placing him in the wrong exam hall in the wrong time. We both always supported S and tried to cheer him up almost everyday.One day D called me and told that a student, one of his classmate died of heart attack. We felt bad until he told us the whole story.He told us that the guy had some problem of chest pain and went to see the doctor in the hospital, where he was told to get admitted in the hospital. As he was a student he had special hospital fee waiver, but the hospital did not admit him as he did not had his Student ID with him at that time. He went to his flat and by the time he decided to come back with his ID, he suffered a heart attack.Now again you can say it was his mistake, but not admitting him in hospital was a sheer negligence and if a medical student can face this , you can only imagine what others might face.Now these two story may not have exact date or exact case, figures etc. But I know for a fact that this happened. The two basic thing i.e.e Medical and Law services, that any person might need at any point of emergency in his life. I’m sorry to say but both of these things in our country are “Bhagwan Bharose”. I’m sure you can’t disagree, because this is not the first story you have seen about corruption or negligence in our country.I’m not saying that our country is bad, or as today’s trends say, I’m not an “anti national”. It’s just that I want to live a simple life with my family and friends. And neither do I want to settle or adjust in thee two basic needs nor do I want to become a crusader to fight against injustice and come out of top(if you think that’s coward or un justified just google these names - Satyendra Dubey, Shanmugam Majunathan and many more).Sharing some of real life incidents which prompted me to take this decision:Case 1:Walking in East kailash at 10:20 PM talking on my phone; two guys on bike hit me on my head with a Rod; I fell, Took my mobile; I was in pain bleeding on Road (Not so profusely); several vehicles passed, nobody stopped. Two guys came talked to me and helped me in standing up; and then said "भाई आप लकी हो, लास्ट टाइम बंदा ऊपर चला गया था इसी रोड पे… "Came back home, broken. I was living with my friends then, all working in MNCs. Went to police station, asked me 100 questions and then.. I didn't hear back anythiOk,now lets be honest for a moment.My background: Indian male in mid 20s graduated from prestigious engineering institute (hope you get it), working in an investment bank in a metropolitan Indian city. Have had couple of short trips to some developed nations in the past.These are the reasons why I want to leave India for a couple years and then come back.Money: Yeah. lets accept it. Single biggest reason, the dollars $$$. I mean, I am drawing a salary in the top 1 percentile among my age group, still I can't think of buying a house in the city I live in. If I take a loan, I'll have to literally shell out a major chunk of my salary in the EMI. On the other hand, an Indian even in an average job working in US can save enough to buy it. We have a weak currency and hence the relative cost of living in Indian cities is comparably higher.Prestige: If you go back 15 years, going or living abroad was not common for an average middle class Indian and hence there was a prestige associated with living abroad. This is the philosophy we have been fed since childhood that living in USA is the "cool" thing to do. Even today, may be subconsciously, we all have a sense of prestige associated with visiting or living abroad, which is why you see the first thing anyone does when he/she visits any foreign country is facebook check-in at the airport and then continuously upload pics.,Better quality work: Be it any field, this is the sad truth that all the better quality jobs in most fields simply don't exist in India. If you want to do some challenging quality work or some cutting edge research, there isn't much opportunity in India. Thankfully, this is changing and we see some better opportunities slowly coming to India also.Experience: This is another big reason. We have been living in India since childhood and now in our youth, we want to experience living in a foreign place which is culturally/socially/economically different. Moreover, if you want to live a non-conventional life, for example if you are LGBT, or if you want to stay unmarried for long etc. then it would be better to live abroad where you have more individualistic freedom and would be better accepted.I can't say about others but for me I'll never want to live permanently in a foreign country. I mean this is the place I belong to and identify myself. My family lives here and I can't spend my entire life as an outsider in a foreign land. So what I wish to do is live in any foreign country for a couple of years (5-6 years max) and then save enough to come back and live a peaceful life here in India. I know many would argue that once you stay abroad for a couple of years, you would not like to come back but I don't know about future and this is what I think now.Regarding the many problems that others have pointed out, ofcourse there are problems but its not like you are living in hell. India is still a very nice place to live in, especially if you earn decent enough. I mean we have been living in India since childhood and have thoroughly enjoyed it. Things are changing and we can all expect to live in an even better India in the future. So I could be wrong but I see these reasons given by others as more of "excuses".A man always has two reasons for doing anything: a good reason and the real reason.- J.P. MorganYou complain that a guy with lesser marks or more money was given admission to that medical seat which you deserved and you would have loved if the admissions had been purely on merit, fair enough. Now lets go out of India and see what happens elsewhere. Lets talk about US, lets take one of the best universities in US so lets take the example of none other than Harvard Business School. One would have assumed that the admission to the best business school in the world would be based purely on merit. The answer is No.Its a known fact that factors like Nationality/Race/Gender plays a much bigger role. The reservations at these top institutes goes in the name of "diversity benefit". A candidate from, for example, Uganda has a much better chance than a much "better" candidate from India. I would not even point out that the GMAT scores of Indians/Chinese candidates in these schools are much above the class average as then someone would point out that the admissions to these schools is based on a 'holistic' picture and not necessarily on numbers. Still, whatever the criteria you may take for "merit", almost all applicants/students/alumni/admission consultants would agree that the admission process is much much harder for Indians/Chinese especially for Indians. They would rather take a supposedly "lesser" deserving candidate if he/she is from an under-represented minority.Think about it, why should a candidate suffer if he/she is from India, a candidate from Africa/Europe who is getting admitted might be much richer with better exposure and resources. Moreover between a guy and a girl with similar profile, they would obviously admit the girl. However, if you are not from an "under-represented" minority and you do not have stellar stats,its not the end and you may still make it, you know how? if you come from an influential political family or your parents have donated millions to the school. (Jyotiraditya Scindia is a Harvard economics and Stanford MBA alumni)The idea of this comment is not to demean these institutes or complain about their policies. I totally respect them and needless to say almost all candidates admitted to these schools are well deserving. I am just trying to put things into perspective for you. You are living in a bubble if you think the world is fair.Oh absolutelyI wrote this piece over three years ago —And it still holds true.The reason for it isn’t that I don’t love my country. On the contrary, I have been, and still am, astounded by the fact that this country, an eclectic amalgam of various languages and cultures continues to survive and prosper, despite having little in common with most of the others except for a shared history of oppression. I am amazed that a country that has <2% of the world’s areLong before I was an adult, I always thought I would stay in India till my last breath. However, growing up has made me encounter problems which I don't want to face at all.1. Education woes.I am a student of an NIT. The entrance exam was a lot tougher than what is taught here. The quality of education is abysmal. There are hardly any permanent professors in my department. We are taught by some contract faculty who are least interested in teaching.Once, in the third semester, a thermodynamics teacher said this:"Now, since we all know that when pressure is constant, work done by the gas is zero, so the answer here is zero."For a few minutes , we were too bamboozled to believe that she had said this. To our utter amazement, this followed:"In adiabatic process, the change in internal energy is always zero."That class led to a huge disappointment. Most of the major things are taught in a pathetic way, with all the prestigious students losing interest in studies.All we care about are MARKS. And SGPA. It disheartens me so much. It's so depressing to be present in a system where you are judged by your grades and grades come by remembering a few facts in the subjects. No logics.2. CorruptionIt's everywhere. Not just in politics or government sectors.I know a few people around me who completely support the cause of corruption.The reasons given by them are so selfish and amoral that they might make you weep there and then.I get to see it in so many forms and at so many places and there's nothing I can do but feel helpless about it absolutely.In college fests, when you go for a driving license, in order to get your name first in a waiting list at a doctor's, railways, food checking, the infrastructure of the college.Everywhere. It's fucking everywhere.3. Let's say no to PDA.Even if you are found with a person of an opposite gender at a secluded area, the chances of you getting caught by the police for "unethical actions" is pretty high.Forget holding hands or kissing (that's a serious offence) - you can't even walk close.People charge you at the cost of your privacy.Sick and disgusting.4.Security issuesIf a woman wants to be safe (doesn't want to be sexually harassed in any manner) she should :1. Dress "decently" and "properly". Preferably, cover everything possible except the eyes. Oh no, wait! Eyes too. Put on sunglasses.We don't want our menfolk to be aroused.2. Come back home before sunset.3.Shlouldn't date. And shouldn't have any male friends.4. Never travel alone5. Remain silent to all the lewd remarks and make no big issue of the ogling. You're a woman. Deal with it.6. Don't let her pursue higher education because that might make her want to work. What's the need ? Stay at home.If she still gets raped, she has got to be truly characterless. You see, it's never the rapist's fault. Never.Note: If you didn't get it, that's sarcasm above.5. Politics and government.No matter which party you vote for, there would be some amount of electricity cuts, extremely bad roads at certain places, less water supply, poor administration, disorganization, empty promises.No matter what amount of taxes we pay, we won't see their true utilization.6. Overlapping social differences.We have started the Mars mission. But we are still not sorted with the issues on the Earth.Even in the present modern world, we greatly take into account religion, caste, creed, regionalism. Forget inter-religion marriages, the society doesn't even approve of inter-caste marriages !Before falling in love, make sure that your lover is of the same religion.And the same caste, and the same sub-caste and the same sub-sub -caste ! :D7. Pressurized living.With the ever increasing population, increases the competition.Competition so high that it makes you cry. It's worse because it's not even fair.Now read and listen very carefully!No matter what you individual Indian think or crave for the but INDIA IS GOING TO FELL MORE AND MORE..Learn from HITLER , STALIN , MAO , CHINA , GERMANY , JAPAN , this country country destroyed in world war again and again leader raised filled heart of people with Patriotism nationalism they become Major economy power in the WorldThis land Bharat varsha is epic history of ravanna and Rama , even the ravaana was most evil guy in the world he Controlled 9 realams , different planets most powerful , after death of ravanna the Rama said to his brother to learn from ravanna …May be mao , Stalin , Hitler , imperial Japan worst monster dictators but we have to learn..You see in history back in time the Europeans are butchering each other in name of superiority , religion , money , now they achieved everything power economic development , technology.. You see when Germany economy was getting collapse , Hitler raised captured nearby land forced people to develop technology but not in case of india it's same peasent for centuries …When I say diversity is not strength , religion is waste in 21st century , you need better genetic / genomic , wipeout culture And different languages , wipeout 100 crore population of india to have good life , people take it as threat..The problem with Indians is they get very defensive and never really implement solutions for these problems. You can say the lack of credibility in some of the links ive used. But the truth still remains the truth whether you like it or not. Only a coward would run away from it. Usually Indians will get politically correct as people have posted above and brag about the accomplishments of a tiny minority of East Indians. But for a better India we have to accept the reality of us as a people. Political correctness is just a form of cruelty because you can only believe a lie for so long.No matter run as far as you can run .. no one will Stop you … ( how long you can jump over the hardwork of ancestor of Europeans by ditching your ancestor of your own may be didn't worked hard as Europeans)Country is builded by it's people not by someone else… if again this country lost sovereignty to its own people or any foreigner enslaved , killed , starved to death it will solely problem of Indians who never worked for country..remember overpopulation also can kill nation and motherland where mother can't able to feed you.Youu're enslaved by your own mentality , or more you're enslaved by your own moral value , religion , government , prejudice , discrimination …w.eak people will fail get colonised , conquered , face death… never know what will happen…This is dream’ of every 2nd indian who don't like tradition ,ritual , religion , living standard , patriotism , their own ancestor … now days I think..Sacrifice for freedom from British Empire , we thinked that we can have best government which is better than British but eventually it become false , people love to live in USA UK Canada which are British colony And heavily influenced by British culture tradition rituals , so no matter it's bound to happen ..Jhansi , bhagat Singh , many more…This people thinked that we will great if we get rid of British and establish our government but this all things become turn to become worse …When Churchill said this… that Indians are breeding like rabbits which will cost Thier future in mass hunger , starvation everyone get angry but anyone tried to learn from enemy… NOPEAnyone tried to learn from enemy never ever never .. even your god Rama told his brother to learn from his enemy Ravana , did any did this??? NopeDid anyone learn nope.. this is why I admire Chinese , Japanese so much..Eventually people faithfully accept this I don't any problem. Wearing suit , speak English Japanese french , but ask who yourself who you are?..Our country name is Bharat or Bharat federation not India..

the answer would be from starting of the career.1. Are You Eligible?Student Pilots: To be eligible for a student pilot certificate, you must be at least 16 years old and able to read, speak, write and understand English, as required for Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 61.83.Private Pilots: Private pilot applicants must be at least 17 years old and be able to read, speak, write and understand English, per FAR part 61.103. In addition, you must complete the necessary ground and flight training requirements as required by the federal aviation regulations.Commercial Pilots and Flight Instructors: Commercial pilot and flight instructor applicants must be at least 18 years old, and as previous certificates require, must also be able to read, speak, write and understand English.Airline Transport Pilots: Most ATP applicants must be 23 years old, but certain pilots may obtain a restricted ATP certificate at age 21. Read more about the ATP requirements in FAR Part 61.153.2. Training Options for Ground School and Flight TrainingEach pilot certificate or rating typically involves a component of both ground school and flight training. Ground school is any training done on the ground and prepares flight students for the FAA written exam as well as the ground portion of the FAA practical exam.Ground school can be accomplished by one of any number of different methods. Ground school training at large flight schools like Phoenix East Aviation is often conducted in a classroom setting. Sometimes ground school is completed one-on-one with a flight instructor, through a computer-based course or an online learning program.In the end, a reputable ground school program will cover all of the material necessary to prepare a student for the FAA written exam (included in Part 61.125), and will include the instructor “sign-off” needed to take the written exam. Flight training options include training with a small flight school or fixed based operator (FBO) or with a larger flight school like PEA.There are many advantages to conducting flight training at an accredited school like PEA. These advantages include access to instructors and aircraft, frequent flights and well-maintained aircraft.3. Choosing a Flight SchoolFor many prospective flight students, choosing school to attend is a challenge. There are a variety of flight training schools available to get the aeronautical training you need to become an airline pilot. Here are three main types of pilot training programs:Fast-Track Airline Programs: Fast-track flight programs like PEA are often the quickest and least expensive route to becoming a commercial pilot. Fast-track programs are flight programs that allow students with zero flight hours to gain the necessary experience to become a commercial pilot in a very short amount of time. These programs typically involve an intense daily training regimen and provide the opportunity to gain aeronautical ratings quickly and safely. Fast-track programs can sometimes be completed in one year, depending on your previous experience, ability to learn and the program you choose, but it can take some time beyond the program to build enough hours and experience to become a competitive candidate for an airline job. Occasionally, fast-track flight programs are accredited, which means that the academics portion of the flight school must meet specific requirements and is maintained to a specific standard. Additionally, PEA is one of the only flight academies to obtain accreditation, and students who study at PEA are often eligible for college credit at other colleges and universities.Colleges and Universities: Collegiate flight training programs usually include flight training and a college degree. These programs are often the most expensive of the flight training programs and take the longest to complete (about four years). If you choose a collegiate flight program, be sure it’s an accredited school.The Local Airport FBO: Local fixed base operators, or FBOs, often provide flight training at your own pace. There are multiple advantages and disadvantages to this method of flight training. The ability to fly at a small, local airport without the rigid schedule found at some fast-track or university programs is appealing to some, but this same benefit can also be a detriment, as students in these programs might be less likely to fly regularly and training programs at these schools are less regulated than collegiate and fast track flight schools. Flying at an FBO can also mean frequent instructor changes and scheduling interruptions.In addition to the specific training methods involved, there are many other factors involved with choosing a flight school. These include cost, aircraft types, instructor availability, location, living conditions, student success rates and graduate job placement. Above all, the flight school you choose should be one you feel comfortable with. You’ll be spending a lot of time around the airport, aircraft and with your flight instructors, so it’s important that the flight school you choose is an enjoyable place. MORE: Choosing a Flight School4. Part 61 vs. Part 141 Flight TrainingThere are two different types of FAA flight training programs that are available to prospective pilots: Part 61 and Part 141 training. Both types of training are acceptable, but there are slight differences you’ll want to know before you choose a training program.Part 61 flight training programs are the most common type, and the kind that most small flight schools offer. Part 61 training is flexible and allows for you to go at your own pace and allows the program to be adjusted to suit the needs of the students. With a Part 61 program, instructors are free to use any type of training materials they’d like to use, and can train the student in a variety of different ways. Because Part 61 flight instruction is less structured, it can often take longer to complete.Part 141 flight training programs can often be found at larger institutions, including fast-track programs and universities with flight programs. Part 141 flight training is conducted to the same standards as Part 61, but is done under a more structured training outline and more efficiently.For flight training to be conducted under Part 141 regulations, an FAA-approved training curriculum is required, including detailed lesson plans. In addition, the FAA monitors the performance of Part 141 training, so too many failures or poor performance will be managed. Because Part 141 flight training is much more structured, the FAA allows students to complete the same training in less required flight time. For example, a private pilot certificate requires at least 40 hours of flight time under Part 61 rules, and only 35 hours under Part 141 regulations. Part 141 programs can be intense and fast-moving for students, and there’s not always a lot of time to catch up when a student gets behind. MORE: Part 61 vs. Part 1415. Getting Your Medical Certificate and Student Pilot CertificateThe FAA requires students to obtain a student pilot certificate and aviation medical certificate before they are allowed to fly solo in an aircraft. As such, most flight schools require students to get their student pilot certificate and medical certificate before they arrive for training.Most of the time, the student pilot certificate and medical certificate are the same document. You’ll be issued a student pilot certificate together with a medical certificate when you pass your aviation medical exam. Rarely, a student might possible a student pilot certificate separately from the medical certificate by visiting a FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO).Scheduling Your Aviation Medical Exam: You’ll schedule your aviation medical exam with a local aviation medical examiner. A list of local aviation medical examiners can be found on the FAA website, by conducting an internet search, or by asking your flight school which examiner is recommended. Aviation medical examiners are typically medical doctors who perform aviation medical exams in addition to another type of medical practice. These doctors are knowledgeable about specific physiological factors involved in flight and can offer guidance on certain medical conditions as they pertain to flying.Types of Aviation Medical Exams: As a student pilot, you have the choice of getting a first class, second class or third class medical certificate. First class medical certificates are required for airline pilots and are the most restrictive of the medical certificates. Second class medical certificates are required for most commercial pilots. Third class medical certificates are the least restrictive and easiest to obtain, and are required for student pilots. All prospective students are required to obtain at least a third-class certificate, but professional pilot hopefuls should consider obtaining a first-class medical certificate to make sure that their health is in satisfactory condition before investing time and money in flight training.What to Expect at Your Aviation Medical Exam: The aviation medical exam is simple. The doctor will ask you questions regarding current and previous health issues, and then will perform hearing and vision tests. Other tests may be performed depending on each person’s personal health condition and the type of medical certificate being requested. For most, the aviation medical exam is quite easy.What Happens if I’m Denied an Aviation Medical Certificate? First, it’s important to know that most people pass the aviation medical exam without issue. Some medical conditions, however, can require further testing and analysis and will require a review by the FAA. In this case, your doctor will work with the FAA to gather necessary paperwork and help you find a way to fly safely. When the FAA is satisfied that you won’t pose a risk to yourself or others, they may issue a “special issuance” medical certificate. In extreme cases, it’s possible that an application for a medical certificate could be denied, and you’ll be allowed to reapply after a certain period of time (if the medical condition improves, for example).6. Applying for Flight SchoolOnce you find a flight school that suits your needs, the next step is to apply. The application process itself varies by flight school. Some application processes are as simple as filling out a form and providing photo identification. Other application processes are more in-depth, requiring waivers, insurance and various other documents. In addition, non-US citizens will find that the process is lengthier, since acquiring a visa and background check can take some time. At the very least, you’ll probably be asked for a copy of a government-issued identification card like a passport, driver’s license or ID card, as well as any pilot certificates or pilot training documents you may already have. There is often an application fee for flight schools. MORE: How to Apply to PEA7. Additional Requirements for International Students:Students who are not residents of the United States have a few additional tasks to complete in order to begin flight training in the United States.Apply for a US F-1 or M-1 visa: Phoenix East Aviation is approved for the F-1 I-20 form for flight training students in F-1 approved programs, and also approved for the M-1 I-20 form for students who enroll in M-1 approved courses. Flight training cannot be conducted under tourist visa privileges.Show proof of health/accident insurance: Most flight schools will require you to obtain insurance while you’re attending flight school in the United States. It’s a good idea to have insurance for health reasons, anyway.Show proof of funds for flight training and living expenses while in the U.S.Register and submit background information on flightschoolcandidates.gov.MORE: Application process for International Students8. Your Private Pilot Certificate and Beyond: What to ExpectMost prospective pilots have dreams of going beyond the initial private pilot certificate to become a professional pilot. There are a number of professional pilot job options available to students that graduate from an academy like PEA. But before you begin flight training, you should have an idea of what’s required in order to reach your goal of becoming a commercial pilot. Specifically, to become a professional pilot, in most cases you’ll obtain the following pilot certificates and ratings:Private Pilot Certificate: The first step toward becoming a pilot is obtaining a private pilot certificate, which involves learning basic flight maneuvers.Instrument Rating: During instrument training, you’ll learn how to navigate by using your instruments in the cockpit alone. You’ll learn how to fly through clouds and in marginal weather conditions safely and efficiently.Commercial Pilot Certificate: Commercial pilot training requires a higher level of precision and includes training geared toward passenger safety and comfort, and high altitude operations. A commercial pilot certificate allows you to get paid to fly as a pilot, but to be an airline pilot you’ll still need to get an airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate.Multi-Engine Rating: Multi-engine aircraft have very different handling and performance characteristics than single-engine aircraft do. Obtaining a multi-engine rating required for most commercial pilot job applicants.Certified Flight Instructor (CFI): A CFI isn’t usually a requirement for a professional pilot job, but those who have a CFI will be able to gain more flight hours by instructing.Certified Flight Instructor- Instrument (CFII): A CFII is also not usually a requirement to be hired at an airline, but commercial pilot jobs typically require a certain amount of instrument flight hours, and flight instructors who add the instrument rating to their CFI certificate are able to gain valuable instrument flight time. In addition, a CFII rating can mean higher pay for the instructor.Multi-Engine Instructor (MEI): As with the CFI and CFII, an MEI is not a requirement, but can help pilots gain hours and valuable multi-engine experience as an instructor.Airline Transport Pilot: The ATP is the holy grail of flying certificates. It requires 1500 hours of flight time, and is a requirement for potential airline pilots.Specialty Courses: Specialty flight training like Glass Cockpit Training or Aerobatic Training can help build your flight hours and expand upon your experience as a pilot, but isn’t usually required to be hired as a professional pilot.Jet Training: Jet training courses, like PEA’s Citation 500 Type Rating Course, will prepare you for the transition from propeller aircraft to jet aircraft. These courses, while completely optional, can help you get a job in a specific aircraft type and will teach you procedures involved with flying jets so that you’re more employable as a professional pilot at an airline, corporation or charter company.9. Building Hours and Experience: Advanced Training OptionsObtaining pilot certificates is rarely enough for a person to be hired as a commercial pilot. Most commercial pilot jobs, including airline and corporate pilot jobs, require a minimum number of hours just to apply. It’s not uncommon for a person to earn a commercial pilot certificate and still not have enough qualifications to apply for an airline job.Most pilots who want to become an airline pilot, must obtain many more flight hours than they received during training. For this reason, many new commercial pilots will also obtain a CFI certificate and work for a couple of years to gain experience before they’re eligible for employment at an airline, charter or corporate company.Once enough hours are obtained, a pilot can apply for a job at a regional airline, where they’ll continue to build flight hours and experience in larger turbine aircraft. After a few years at a regional airline, pilots will usually qualify for a first officer position at a major airline.Those that choose not to flight instruct often gain employment as a banner-towing pilot, a sightseeing pilot, or possibly flying skydivers or photographers around before moving on to regional airlines, cargo or charter flying jobs. Flying as much as possible is the key to getting an airline job quickly. Becoming a flight instructor is the most common way to earn money and build flight hours toward a professional pilot career.10. Your Professional Pilot Career: Getting a JobFor many, training is the easy part. Finding a job after you’ve accomplished a pilot training program can be a challenge. There is good news, though: The airline industry is facing an apparent pilot shortage, and it’s expected to continue for some time Phoenix East Aviation students are invited to interview to become flight instructors at PEA upon completion of their certified flight instructor certificates. PEA instructors fly often and can quickly gain the hours necessary for employment as a regional airline pilot. There are many types of commercial pilot jobs available to graduates of a flight training program like PEA’s. Here are just a few options:Regional Airline PilotMajor or International Airline PilotCorporate PilotCharter PilotContract Pilot (for a private owner)Freight/Cargo PilotFlight InstructorFerry PilotBanner towing PilotSight-Seeing/Tour PilotAgricultural Pilot/Crop DusterSkydiver PilotPhotographer PilotAirshow PilotDemo Pilot (aircraft sales)Medical Evacuation PilotHumanitarian/Charity PilotNews/Traffic PilotPipeline Patrol PilotNational Defense or Border Patrol PilotFirefighting or Forestry PilotEach of these jobs has its own specific set of requirements and different pilot jobs will require more or less hours and experience. If you’re focused on getting a particular pilot job, you should make sure you know the requirements and qualifications needed to obtain that job.11. How Much Will it Cost?This question about cost is a tricky one, because there are a lot of variables to flight training, including the type of school, the type of aircraft and avionics used, how long it takes you to complete training, whether you’ll need to pay for housing or training materials, and various extras that may or may not be included in the projected cost.At PEA, we offer our Professional Program I for $49,534, plus the cost of private pilot training if needed,which is about $13,990.This is a cost for a minimum amount of instructional hours, and some students may not finish in the allotted time. It’s always smart to plan on spending slightly more than the projected amount in case you need extra time to complete a topic or a lesson. Many students take out loans for flight training, and PEA offers financial assistance and lending agreements through a third party for students enrolled in the flight program. MORE: Find out more about the flight training courses at PEA MORE: Find out more about financial assistance Flight training might seem like a lot of work, but for those that love flying, the path to becoming an airline pilot is also a lot of fun.

Oh just a few things the liars at the mainstream media won't bother to tell you about.To date, the administration of President Donald Trump has taken significant action on issues of concern to social conservatives -- life, family, and religious liberty:2017On January 23, President Trump reinstated and expanded the Mexico City Policy, which blocks funding for international organizations that perform or promote abortion. This new program is known as Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance (PLGHA), which now covers $8.8 billion in family planning and global health funds that go to organizations abroad (none of whom may perform or promote abortion).On February 22, the Department of Education, in conjunction with the Department of Justice (DOJ) rescinded President Obama's guidance that required public schools to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms and showers of their choice.On April 7, President Trump's nominee Neil Gorsuch was confirmed to the Supreme Court. Justice Gorsuch has already developed a reputation as an originalist who will rule the right way on religious liberty issues. Gorsuch is representative of President Trump's judicial nominees overall.On May 4, President Trump signed an Executive Order Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty (known as the "Religious Liberty Executive Order"), broadly setting forth religious liberty as a policy priority of the administration, and requiring all federal agencies to take action to protect it. The order also more specifically addressed conscience protections, forthcoming guidance from the DOJ, and religious liberty in the context of free speech.On August 25, President Trump announced changes to the Obama administration's Department of Defense (DOD) policy which had allowed military personnel to serve even if they openly self-identified as transgender. (A DOD study found the Obama administration's policy to be detrimental to military readiness, lethality, and unit cohesion.)On September 7, DOJ filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court defending the religious freedom rights of baker Jack Phillips in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. This filing is representative of other actions defending religious freedom taking place throughout the Trump administration DOJ.On October 6, DOJ issued guidance and an implementing memo (as instructed by the Religious Liberty Executive Order) to all federal agencies explaining religious freedom law and how religious liberty must be protected. This guidance laid out a broad defense of religious liberty based on multiple statutes and provided each federal agency with guidelines for protecting religious liberty.Also on October 6, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed two regulations to deal with the Obamacare "HHS contraceptive mandate" that had for years violated conscience and religious liberty. These new regulations exempt organizations that have moral or religious objections to purchasing insurance that includes coverage of contraceptives and abortion-causing drugs and devices.2018On January 16, DOJ filed an amicus brief with the District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on behalf of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. The Archdiocese had wanted to promote a religious message during the Christmas holiday but, had been denied advertising space within the District's public transit system.On January 18, DOJ filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue defending the First Amendment rights of parents and students who attend a religious school, to participate in a private school scholarship program.On January 18, HHS announced a new Conscience and Religious Freedom Division within its Office of Civil Rights (OCR). This new division was established to enforce federal laws that protect conscience rights and religious freedom.On January 19, HHS issued a new proposed regulation on conscience protections related to abortion. Specifically, the regulation proposed to implement 25 laws that protect pro-life healthcare entities against discrimination by federal agencies -- or state or local governments receiving federal funds -- due to their objections to participating in abortion, sterilization, and other morally objectionable procedures.On January 24, Sam Brownback was confirmed as U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. In choosing Brownback for this role, President Trump demonstrated the administration's commitment to religious freedom by choosing someone with gravitas and experience on the issue.On March 23, 2018, the White House and DOD issued a new policy allowing existing personnel to remain in the military while preventing those who have been diagnosed with "gender dysphoria" or had undergone gender transition surgery from joining the military. Those who are transgender and stable for 36 months could join so long as they serve in accordance with their biological sex.On April 26, Mike Pompeo was confirmed as Secretary of State. In choosing Pompeo for this position, President Trump chose someone who cares deeply about religious liberty and will make it a priority to see the issue advanced through this administration.On April 30, during a press conference with Nigeria's president, President Trump raised the issue of religious freedom and the killing of Christians in that country -- bringing attention to an issue that had largely been neglected by other government officials.On May 22, HHS issued a new proposed regulation reversing the Title X family planning regulations implemented by President Clinton. The proposed regulation would restore the separation of abortion services from the federal Title X family planning program, which President Reagan first implemented. The proposed regulation would also ensure parents are more involved in the decisions of minors to obtain services from Title X clinics. It reverses the discriminatory abortion referral requirement the Clinton regulations implemented and is poised to put a dent into Planned Parenthood's roughly $60 million annual revenues from the Title X program.On June 13, DOJ announced the Place to Worship Initiative, designed to increase enforcement and public awareness of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUPIA). This federal law protects places of worship and other religious uses of property. Through this initiative, federal prosecutors will receive training about legal protections for houses of worship.On July 24-26, the State Department held the first-ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom. Political and civil society leaders from around the world gathered in Washington, D.C. for a three-day summit to discuss religious freedom issues and solutions. The Potomac Declaration, issued at the Ministerial, made a strong statement about the state of religious freedom around the globe and provided a plan of action for promoting global religious freedom. The U.S. also announced the International Religious Freedom Fund (to provide emergency assistance to victims of religiously motivated discrimination and abuse around the world) and the Genocide Recovery and Persecution Response Initiative (which has provided nearly $373 million to help persecuted ethnic and religious minorities in northern Iraq restore their communities). The U.S. was among 25 countries who signed a statement condemning terrorism and the abuse of religious believers by non-state actors.On July 30, DOJ announced a Religious Liberty Task Force to fully implement religious liberty guidance and policy across all components of the DOJ.On August 1, the Trump administration relied on Executive Order 13818 (which builds on Global Magnitsky Act authority) to sanction two Turkish officials over the detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson due to his Christian faith. This Executive Order ultimately resulted in Pastor Brunson's release.On September 24, HHS terminated a $15,900 contract with Advanced Bioscience Resources to procure fetal tissue from aborted babies for research. The termination of this contract led HHS to announce an audit of all acquisitions and research involving human fetal tissue to ensure consistency with statutes and regulations.On October 6, President Trump's nominee Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court. Kavanaugh is the second constitutional originalist the president saw confirmed to the Court.On November 7, HHS finalized its two regulations to protect conscience and religious liberty from long-running problems with the Obamacare "HHS contraceptive mandate." These two final regulations exempt organizations with either a moral or religious objection to purchasing insurance with coverage of contraceptives and abortion-causing drugs and devices. The regulations took effect on January 14, 2019.On November 9, HHS proposed a new regulation to address an abortion surcharge hidden in many plans purchased on the Obamacare exchange. This proposed regulation would enforce the requirement that abortion surcharges are to be collected separately from other insurance premiums. This requirement was not closely followed under the Obama administration, leading HHS to now more strictly enforce the separation of abortion payments from other payments.On December 26, DOJ filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court defending a publicly-displayed cross-shaped veteran's memorial that had been challenged as a violation of the Establishment Clause. This position is representative of the Trump administration's originalist approach to the Constitution concerning First Amendment rights and other issues. Such an approach results in legal analysis that interprets the law rather than injecting policy preferences into it.2019On January 18, HHS notified California that its law requiring pregnancy resource centers to post notices about how to obtain an abortion violated the pro-life Weldon and Coates-Snowe Amendments. This marks the first time that the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division at HHS found a state in violation of these laws. This demonstrates the administration's commitment to enforcing conscience protections and its pro-life priorities.On January 19, at the request of 169 members of Congress and 49 senators, President Trump sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in which he promised to veto any legislation that weakens current pro-life Federal policies and laws. This letter was a message to the new Democrat majority in the House that longstanding pro-life protections like the Hyde Amendment and safeguards protecting the conscience rights of health care providers are not negotiable.On Februa ry 22, HHS announced final rule changes governing the Title X family planning program. Consistent with federal law, these rule changes ensured that Title X clinics would be financially and physically separate from abortion facilities and would not refer patients for abortions. Since the implementation of the rule, Planned Parenthood and several pro-abortion states voluntarily decided to withdraw from the program rather than quit performing abortions or referring patients for abortions.On March 8, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback criticized China's poor religious freedom record in a speech he delivered in Hong Kong.On April 12, the Trump administration's policy on military service by those with gender dysphoria went into effect. This policy will help halt the deterioration of military readiness, lethality, and unit cohesion caused by social experimentation in the military.On May 2, HHS announced a final rule to expand the structure in which federal conscience laws are enforced. In 2011, President Obama issued a rule that enforced only three federal conscience provisions. The new regulation under President Trump covers 25 existing statutes, which will be enforced by the new Conscience and Religious Freedom Division, part of the HHS OCR.On May 5, at the World Health Assembly, the Trump administration issued a joint statement on behalf of the United States and eight other nations calling on other countries to join an effort to focus on women's health issues that unify rather than create dissension among members (like abortion and sexual and reproductive health). This statement was the first action taken under the administration's new Protecting Life in Global Health Policy (PLGHP), which seeks to build a global coalition to promote women's health while also protecting unborn life and strengthening the family. This policy works in conjunction with the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance (PLGHA) program, which restricts funding for organizations abroad that perform or promote abortion.On May 24, HHS proposed a new regulation that clarifies that discrimination on the basis of sex in section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act was to be interpreted under the plain meaning of the word. Therefore, it does not include "gender identity" or "termination of pregnancy" as set forth by a 2016 Obama administration regulation. The HHS regulation will continue to enforce existing civil rights protections; however, it makes clear that the federal government will not force physicians to participate in gender reassignment surgeries or abortions.On June 5, after an extensive audit into fetal tissue research, the Trump administration announced a major change in the enforcement of research contracts. HHS would no longer conduct intramural (internal) research using tissue from aborted babies and would greatly increase the ethics rules and safeguards that govern extramural (external) fetal tissue research contracts. All new external contracts will be subject to a congressionally authorized ethics advisory board, making it much more difficult for fetal tissue research contracts to be awarded by the National Institute of Health.On July 16-18, the State Department held the second Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a new global initiative, the International Religious Freedom Alliance, meant to provide a way for like-minded countries to work together to advance religious freedom. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai gave a compelling speech condemning the use of technology to track and control the lives of religious minorities. The United States was among 14 signatory countries on a statement of concern about technology and religious freedom. The U.S. was also one of 34 countries that signed a statement of concern on counterterrorism as a pretext for the repression of religious freedom; one of 27 countries that signed a statement condemning blasphemy, apostasy, or other laws that restrict religious freedom; and was one of 46 countries that signed a statement that called upon government officials to condemn attacks on places of worship and to work with religious communities to protect these places. At this event, the State Department and USAID also announced new religious freedom training programs for foreign service officers.On July 16, the State Department placed targeted sanctions on Burmese military officials for their human rights and religious freedom violations committed against the Rohingya Muslim population.On July 18, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and HHS Secretary Alex Azar issued a joint letter on International Partnerships that called states to join a coalition of countries that seek to advocate against pro-abortion policies at the World Health Organization and the United Nations (UN).In August 2019, DOJ filed amicus briefs with the Supreme Court in two important religious liberty cases, R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes, Inc. v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Bostock v. Clayton County/Altitude Express, Inc. v. Zarda. Through these filings, DOJ advanced a biologically binary definition of sex and those who operate accordingly, whether because of science or religious belief.On August 15, the Department of Labor (DOL) proposed a new regulation that would clarify the scope and application of religious exemptions for federal contractors. Under the Obama administration, the scope of religious exemption at the DOL was severely narrowed. The current DOL relied on the history of our nation's preservation of religious liberty, the First Amendment, and Supreme Court decisions to re-invigorate the exemption to its historical and constitutional parameters.On August 28, the HHS OCR issued a notice of violation to the University of Vermont Medical Center for forcing a nurse to participate in an abortion despite a conscience objection. This marks the third time that the HHS Religious Freedom Division under President Trump has investigated a conscience complaint related to participating in or promoting abortion.On September 10, the State Department placed targeted sanctions on Russian officials for their religious freedom violations and torture of Jehovah's Witnesses.On September 23, President Trump hosted a meeting during the U.N. General Assembly and gave a speech solely on the topic of religious freedom. During the speech, he announced a U.S. policy initiative to protect places of worship, pledging an additional $25 million in funding to protect religious sites and relics. President Trump also announced the U.S. would form a coalition within the business community to protect religious freedom. This is the first time a U.S. president has hosted a meeting focused solely on religious freedom at the UN.On September 24, President Trump discussed the need to protect religious freedom during his UN General Assembly speech, in which he also discussed China and Iran -- two major violators of religious freedom.On September 25, HHS Secretary Alex Azar delivered a statement at the UN General Assembly stating that there is no international right to abortion, and that the U.S. does not support ambiguous terms like "sexual and reproductive health" in UN documents.On October 7, the Department of Commerce blacklisted 28 Chinese companies whose surveillance technology products are used to systematically oppress and control -- and violate the religious freedom -- of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang, China.On October 11, 2019, Attorney General Barr delivered a striking defense of religious liberty at Notre Dame Law School. He noted, "[t]he imperative of protecting religious freedom was not just a nod in the direction of piety. It reflects the Framers' belief that religion was indispensable to sustaining our free system of government." The Attorney General proceeded to remind the audience that religion gives us the "right rules to live by." Barr highlighted the recent attacks on religious liberty, and that the DOJ under his leadership has been fighting back and protecting religious liberty.On November 14, the U.S. government lead a statement on behalf of itself and 10 other countries at the Nairobi Summit, once again calling upon the international community to focus on areas of consensus instead of divisive issues like abortion and sexual and reproductive health.On November 19, HHS issued a rule removing burdensome requirements that all grantees, including those that are faith-based, must accept same-sex marriages and profess gender identity as valid in order to be eligible to participate in grant programs. This included the adoption and foster care space, where these requirements had been used to shut down faith-based providers of foster care and adoption.On November 27, President Trump signed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act into law, which affirms Hong Kong's semi-autonomous status and protects against Chinese government encroachment, which is a threat to Hong Kong's religious freedom.On December 19, the Treasury Department sanctioned two Iranian judges responsible for human rights violations. One of the judges was known to violate the rights of Iran's Christian and Baha'i religious minority communitiesOn December 20, the center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a final regulation to address the abortion surcharge hidden in many plans purchased on the Obamacare exchange. This final rule aligns federal regulations with section 1303 of the Affordable Care Act, ensuring that consumers know their health care plan covers abortion and that funding for abortion is kept separate from all other covered services.2020On January 16, HHS Secretary Alex Azar hosted 34 countries for a meeting on how to promote women's health and protect the lives of the unborn. This meeting followed an invitation sent by Secretary Azar and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to 70 different countries inviting them to join a coalition to oppose international efforts to enshrine abortion as a human right.On January 16, the Departments of Education and Justice issued guidance on constitutionally protected prayer and religious expression in public elementary and secondary schools. This guidance ensures that prayer in schools is properly protected and not unconstitutionally prohibited or curtailed.On January 16, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) sent a memo to the heads of executive departments and agencies providing guidance on Executive Order (EO) 13798 "Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty." In order to protect the ability of religious organizations to operate in the public square, this memo required the agencies to review the EO and publish policies on how they will comply.On January 17, nine federal agencies (the Departments of Agriculture, Education, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, Justice, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Housing and Urban Development, along with the U.S. Agency for International Development) proposed rules leveling the playing field for faith-based organizations wishing to participate in grant programs or become a contractor. The rules eliminated two requirements placed on faith-based organizations that were not placed on secular organizations.On January 22, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services at HHS approved a family planning waiver for Texas to implement a state-run Medicaid program that excludes abortion providers like Planned Parenthood. This makes Texas the first state to receive Medicaid funding for a family planning program that does not include abortion providers.On January 24, President Trump became the first sitting president to give remarks in person at the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. In his address he stated the eternal truth that every child is a sacred gift from God and reiterated his effort to defend the dignity and sanctity of every human life.Also on January 24, HHS Secretary Alex Azar announced live at Family Research Council's ProLifeCon event that HHS issued a notice of violation to California for violating the federal Weldon Amendment by mandating all health insurers provide coverage for abortion. California's abortion coverage mandate has deprived over 28,000 residents of plans that do not cover abortion. This marks the second time that HHS has issued a notice of violation to California for violating federal conscience laws and is the fourth enforcement action taken by the HHS OCR's Conscience and Religious Freedom Division.In February, the Trump administration filled the role of Special Adviser to the President on International Religious Freedom within the National Security Council. This role was authorized by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, but has remained unfilled for over 20 years since that law's enactment. President Trump is the first president to dedicate a full-time staffer to this role and fill it on a permanent basis.On February 4, during his State of the Union address, President Trump called on Congress to pass legislation that would ban late-term abortions. To highlight the need for this legislation, he invited special guest Ellie Schneider, who was born at just 21 weeks gestation.On February 5, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo launched the International Religious Freedom Alliance. The Alliance will unite government leaders from like-minded nations to strategize ways to promote religious freedom and protect religious minorities around the world.On February 25, OMB issued a Statement of Administrative Policy strongly supporting two pro-life bills being voted on in the U.S. Senate: the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act and the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. Had Congress passed these bills, the president's advisors would have recommended that he sign both into law.On March 24, DOJ filed a statement of interest in a case protecting women against men intruding on their sporting competitions. The statement made clear that athletic qualifications on the basis of "gender identity" were harmful to women's sports.On March 28, amid the coronavirus pandemic, HHS OCR issued a strong statement reminding health care entities of their obligation to treat persons with disabilities with the same dignity and worth as everyone else. OCR reiterated its duty to enforce current civil rights laws and has already worked with states like Alabama and Pennsylvania to remove discriminatory practices from their pandemic health plans.On April 2, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback held a special briefing. He called upon China, North Korea, Iran, and Russia to release their prisoners of conscience in light of the contagious coronavirus. Many of these prisoners were imprisoned for their religious faith.On April 3, after hearing from Family Research Council and other organizations, the Small Business Administration (SBA) issued a FAQ document confirming that churches and religious nonprofits are eligible for assistance like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) in the coronavirus relief legislation known as the CARES Act. These clarifying protections ensure organizations would not be discriminated against based on their religious affiliation and would not have to give up their religious freedom in order to participate in these programs. In addition, the administration used an affiliation rule to ensure that large abortion providers like Planned Parenthood would not be eligible for coronavirus relief in the CARES Act.On April 14, DOJ filed a statement of interest protecting the religious liberty of church-goers in Greenville, Mississippi. During the coronavirus pandemic, the city of Greenville banned all religious services, even those that were able to abide by social distancing standards with drive-in church services.On April 17, the Department of Homeland Security included "clergy for essential support" in its list of personnel and entities deemed "essential" for purposes of responding to the coronavirus. This designation allows clergy and pastors more freedom to continue to operate and serve those around them in need at this time.On April 27, Attorney General William Barr directed federal prosecutors to monitor and, if necessary, take action to correct state and local policies that discriminate against religious institutions and believers while battling the coronavirus pandemic.On May 3, DOJ filed a statement of interest supporting the religious freedom of Lighthouse Fellowship Church in Chincoteague Island, Virginia. After the church held a 16-person worship service on Palm Sunday (following strict social distancing protocols), a criminal citation and summons were issued against the pastor pursuant to Governor Ralph Northam's executive order which banned in-person religious services but allowed large gatherings for businesses like liquor stores and dry cleaners.As of May 12, the Trump administration has overseen the confirmation of 193 federal judges, including two Supreme Court justices and 51 federal appeals court judges. Counting seven other judicial confirmations for roles outside the federal court system, President Trump has confirmed 200 judges so far during his time in office. An overwhelming number of President Trump's judicial nominees have been constitutional originalists, who will interpret the law as written, rather than interpret it according to their personal policy preferences. As judges, these nominees will rule correctly on religious liberty and pro-life issues.On May 15, the DOL issued guidance implementing the administration's Religious Liberty Executive Order and the DOJ religious liberty guidance. The DOL guidance also cited tothe OMB memo from earlier this year which directed all grant-administering agencies to detail how they will protect religious liberty in the context of such grants, and included specific action steps to ensure that religious liberty is protected.On May 18, USAID Acting Administrator John Barsa sent a letter to the UN Secretary General advocating that the UN not push abortion during the coronavirus crisis. Barsa noted that abortion is not an "essential service," and there are many actual health needs at this time. Therefore, the United States, which stands with the international pro-life community under the Trump administration, does not look kindly on these efforts to promote abortion.Persevering in Political Engagement: Lessons from the Life of William Wilberforceby Worth Loving (July 29, 2020)The abolition of slavery. Women's suffrage. Civil rights for black Americans. None of these reforms happened quickly. They only came about through years of dedicated efforts from people who refused to give up, despite overwhelming