CNBC's Inside India newsletter: The causes and costs of India's brain drain

This report is from this week's CNBC's "Inside India" newsletter which brings you timely, insightful news and market commentary on the emerging powerhouse and the big businesses behind its meteoric rise. Like what you see? You can subscribe  here.

Four years ago, Keshav Raj graduated with a degree in computer science from the prestigious SRM Institute of Science & Technology in Tamil Nadu.

He obtained decent grades and chalked up internships in startups in India and Indonesia to improve his chances of securing a job. Raj's hope was to land a role in the data department of a government office or a multi-national corporation.

"My parents took a [1.9 million Indian rupee] ($22,491) loan for my degree, so I studied hard and interned to find a well-paying job quickly," the 27-year-old, told CNBC's Inside India.

Several entrance tests and interviews later, Raj has yet to secure a well-paying job. Out of desperation, he took on a role as a customer care executive at a global capability center servicing shoppers at Amazon. He now draws 22,000 Indian rupees a month — barely enough for his household expenses and to pay off his student loan.

"My mother is a clinic assistant and father an auto driver. They don't earn much so I need to earn enough to pay the bills. I cannot manage if I continue working in India — competition is stiff and it's hard to get a well-paying job," he said.

Raj is looking for jobs outside India and says he is "willing to go anywhere and do anything."

He is among hundreds of thousands of educated Indians seeking employment outside the South Asian powerhouse, in the hope of higher remuneration, better career progression and superior standards of living.

Data from jobs portal foundit shows a 11.4% increase this year