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The Next Level of Diversity for Companies in India

​Diversity and inclusion have taken on greater prominence for companies in India in recent years, with more firms wanting to build an equitable workplace.

Experts at the recent SHRM India Annual Conference 2021 discussed how the scenario has evolved and shared tips for using a "bottoms-up approach" to help organizations become more diverse. The speakers stressed the need to build a culture in which people from different backgrounds receive equal opportunities and feel included.

"Organizations should be asking themselves, 'How can we by default be inclusive?' Not by process or policy," said Satish Rajarathnam, senior vice president and global head of strategic resourcing at Mphasis, an information technology firm in Chennai.

Tooba Modassir, senior vice president and head of learning, performance, talent management, diversity and inclusion at Citi South Asia, echoed this.

"Diversity is a fact. Every individual is different," she said. "Are you creating platforms that create equity and equitable opportunities?"

Panelists agreed that while many organizations have long intended to be more diverse, some have recently started actually working toward achieving that goal.

"There used to be a lot of debate on 'why diversity?' " Modassir said. But research has settled those queries, she said. Now, the focus is on the actions that need to be taken.

Recent research from SHRM found that 1 out of 4 people said they dread going to work and don't feel respected and valued with regard to diversity and inclusion, said Archana Jerath, director of operations for SHRM in India, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa. Organizations have lost $223 billion from workplace turnover due to culture-related challenges in the last five years, Jerath said. "There are huge costs involved."

Many Types of Diversity

In India, where the 1.4 billion-strong population speaks more than 450 languages, diversity not only means having more female workers, but also hiring employees from different cultural, linguistic and socioeconomic backgrounds; of different sexual orientations ; and with different physical abilities.

Abhijit Bhaduri, founder of consulting firm Abhijit Bhaduri & Associates in Bengaluru, asked which one of these diverse backgrounds organizations should prioritize.

"This is a false dilemma," responded Hari T.N., CHRO of online grocer BigBasket.

Rather than having a single priority, Hari said each organization should seek to become more open to different points of view.

"If you aim for gender diversity, then you would end up ticking a few check boxes, but you would not achieve the fundamental objective of creating real diversity of thought," he said.

Having said that, companies in India are still falling short on the most common diversity metric: gender. BigBasket, Hari said, has no women at the senior leadership or chief experience officer (CXO) level. At Mphasis, though 38 percent of all employees are female, only 2 percent of the CXOs are female, Rajarathnam said.

"We still have a long way to go to be in a place where it's an equal world," said Mamta Sharma, vice president and HR head at Fiserv Global Services, a technology solutions provider where women make up 31 percent of the total workforce but only 15 percent of the CXO suite.

Building a Critical Mass

Diversity makes business sense because it opens up access to new talent pools, experts said. BigBasket, for instance, has hired 1,000 workers with disabilities.

"Their retention, their values … [are] just better than everybody else," Hari said.

But simply having a policy of diversity isn't enough. "Merely being inclusive is not going to encourage either women or differently abled people to come and join," Hari said.

Instead, these workers want to see others in the organization like them.

"It's important for a company to create a critical mass of that category [of workers] for others to believe that you're sincere about it," Hari said.

Bottoms-Up Approach to Inclusion

It's also not enough that companies hire employees from diverse backgrounds; these workers must also feel welcome and included, said Anurag Bansal, chief sales officer at technology training firm TalentSprint in Hyderabad.

Bansal cited a case study to explain how an organization can ensure that diverse workers fit in. TalentSprint has a partnership with Google in which it selects 200 female engineers in India from disadvantaged economic backgrounds. These women are trained for two years in technology as well as in soft skills such as communications and how to behave in a corporation so that they are prepared to join the workforce.

"They are fully equipped to be part of the organization, and they don't feel that they are a separate group or they have been taken into the organization as a special initiative," Bansal said. "That is the bottoms-up approach" to inclusion, he said.

Removing Bias, Giving a Voice

To be more inclusive, organizations need to listen to their employees more and build a culture in which each employee has a voice, experts said.

"Invite them into decision-making and involve them in multiple projects, in multiple initiatives," said Venka Reddy, global HR business partner at Infosys, an IT services firm in Hyderabad.

To drive this agenda, experts stressed the need for organizations to appoint a chief diversity and inclusion officer.

"You need to set a culture," said Pratyusha Sharma, assistant vice president of HR, talent development and transformation at Cognizant, an IT firm in the greater Hyderabad area. There's also a need to educate employees across all levels, addressing any biases they may have toward others who are not like them.

Organizations should get the perspectives of their employees to understand what biases they typically face in order to address them.

"You may think you understand what the challenges are, but you don't really know," Bhaduri said.

Shefali Anand is a New Delhi-based journalist and former correspondent for  The Wall Street Journal.  You can  follow her on Twitter .

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The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Landscape in India

• Dec 27, 2023, 16:30

In a rapidly changing work environment, Indian firms are increasingly understanding that employee well-being is a crucial component of corporate success. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) activities are the most important social well-being initiatives offered by Indian organisations. The WTW’s Wellbeing Programmes India Survey, (run between October-November (2022-23)), covers responses from 210 employers from India. According to it, the number of organizations offering DEI initiatives is 71% for inclusion and diversity training, 71% for accessible office spaces, 71% for gender-neutral workplace communication, and 62% for inclusive benefits options. In the next three years, organisations are planning numerous initiatives to improve the well-being of employees across the four pillars - physical, emotional, financial, and social. The company implementing strategies include providing health risk assessments (89%), creating an organization-wide mental health strategy (86%), and providing financial well-being education (69%). Companies are already spreading coverage beyond the employee. Moreover, a rising number of businesses are now offering programmes under lifestyle risk management that target specific conditions. According to the survey, an increasing number of companies are now moving towards offering programmes under lifestyle risk management and target-specific conditions. They include programs to promote weight management programmes (32%), healthy sleep programmes (29%), cardiovascular disease management (26%), diabetes management (26%), and cancer management (25%).

The pandemic was a watershed event when firms began to shift away from simply benchmarking their employee perks and towards an inward-out approach. This begins with delving deeper into the relationship between employee behaviours and preferences. Progressive firms should prioritise listening to their employees, determining their needs and desires, understanding employee cohorts, and moving towards purposeful and relevant benefits. According to Aon India's 2022 National Wellbeing Survey, spending on wellbeing initiatives is increasing, with 81% of Indian enterprises indicating an increase in investment over 2021. Furthermore, 78% of Indian organisations stated that they intend to raise their spending for workplace wellness initiatives in 2023. In recent years, Indian anti-discrimination statutes such as the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPD Act), Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 ("TPPR Act"), and Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017 ("HIV Act") have been enacted in response to the global movement towards inclusion and diversity.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

• Diversity is the broad spectrum of differences among various people. Gender, age, disability, socioeconomic and cultural origins, sexual orientation, personal and professional experience, communication styles, and even personality are all characteristics of diversity. Leveraging different personnel's extensive repertoires of knowledge and experiences to generate better ideas and more sustainable solutions.  
• Fair treatment for everybody is referred to as equity. Acknowledging that not everyone starts from the same place. Eliminating disparities and barriers creates a level playing field for everybody. Equality indicates that each individual or group of individuals has access to the same resources or opportunities. However, equity recognises that everyone has distinct circumstances and provides the exact resources and opportunities required to achieve an equal outcome.  
• Inclusion is the degree to which individuals believe they, together with their various features, are welcomed. Make deliberate attempts to increase these feelings in every aspect of work.  
• The sense of belonging relates to the sensation of being cherished, respected, and a part of something larger. Encourage activities that foster belonging for diverse individuals to bring their real selves to work.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion in India

To achieve comprehensive well-being, businesses must first understand their employees' spheres of influence and then spread specialised benefit programmes to these influencers. According to WTW, 50% of firms include coverage for spouses, while 39% cover parents, under emotional well-being programmes. For example, it is reasonable to expect a spouse or partner to contribute to financial decisions, and it is critical to involve them in such education initiatives.

Covering families through financial well-being projects can also help close the gender wealth gap, which is still a major issue in India. According to WTW, programmes aimed at specific conditions are becoming more inclusive, with 35% of companies providing maternity management and 19% providing fertility support.

In the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Global Gender Gap Index 2022, India ranks 135th out of 146 nations, after Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal. While the push for DE&I is expanding, and both the commercial and public sectors have made concerted efforts in recent years to foster workplace diversity, women's labour force participation in India remains at 22.3%, compared to the global average of 47% in 2022.  With the Companies Act and SEBI mandating women's representation on Indian boards, NIFTY 500 companies have experienced a tripling of women's representation on Indian boards in the previous ten years (2012 onwards). In 2022, at least one female board member is present in 95% of NIFTY500 organisations. However, female chairpersons are found in less than 5% of corporations, and only 7% of executive directors are women (2022-23).

• People with Disabilities (PwD) Inclusion: Marginal Development

In 2022, organisations in India were attempting to increase employability rates among the PwD community; nevertheless, only roughly 11.3% (3.4 million out of 30 million) work in the organised sector, the unorganised sector, government-led programmes, or are self-employed.  In comparison to FY13, PwD onboarding by Nifty 50 businesses increased by 10.6% in FY22. However, people with disabilities account for less than 0.5% of total staff strength in organisations. While areas like service and technology are pioneering the intentional employment of PwDs, India still has a long way to go in terms of expanding representation and fostering an equitable and inclusive culture for PwDs.

• LGBTQIA+ Inclusion

In 2019, India's first transgender judge was appointed, and the Indian government announced plans to include transgender individuals in the country's affirmative action programmes in 2020.   Along with the government, India is working to become more inclusive, with major corporations enacting policies that promote equality in treatment for all employees, regardless of sexual orientation or gender.  However, since homosexuality was decriminalised in India very recently (in 2018), LGBTQIA+ representation in India is still minimal, with much ground to be covered. It is estimated that homophobia caused a loss of US$ 30.8 billion (in 2012), or 1.7% of India's GDP and economy.

Changing Trends

• Digitalization

Remote employment has made it simpler for people of all backgrounds to find jobs, but it also prevented certain communities from gaining access to the tools they need to succeed in the digital economy.

• Globalization

With growing competition, organisations are looking for the greatest talent, regardless of location. This has opened opportunities for different individuals to work on a global scale.

• External Social Factors

The shift in societal architecture, as well as an increase in the voices of diverse minority groups through movements all over the world (such as Me Too and the decriminalisation of LGBTQIA+), has underlined the necessity to drive DE&I activities in the workplace.

• Reporting & Regulations

The rising emphasis on DE&I has resulted in governmental efforts that have resulted in legal laws governing the implementation and reporting of certain DE&I policies.

• Post Covid Recovery

As diverse employees (including women, disabled employees, people of colour, etc) were the most impacted by the pandemic, flaws in organisations' DE&I policies were identified.

Understanding Cultural Sensitivities

• Language Diversity

India has an incredible linguistic diversity, with a wide range of languages spoken throughout the country. Employers must recognise and embrace this language tapestry in order to promote an inclusive atmosphere. A genuine sense of inclusivity and belonging can be fostered by adopting small but significant actions like providing multilingual communication tools, translating key company documents, and encouraging employees to communicate in their preferred language.

• Gender Sensitivities

Gender roles and expectations range across India's diverse cultural environment, thus employers must be aware of these variances and develop policies and practises that are inclusive of all genders. Implementing rules that promote diversity in leadership roles, providing comprehensive maternity and paternity benefits, and organising gender equality awareness initiatives can all contribute to a more inclusive workplace.

• Religious Tolerance

India has a long history of religion. Employers can promote a religiously diverse atmosphere by providing flexible work hours during religious observances and avoiding scheduling key meetings or events on religious holidays. Promoting interfaith conversations and celebrations helps employees understand and respect one another more.

• Caste Sensitivities

Caste is a sensitive topic firmly ingrained in Indian society and necessitates ongoing monitoring to ensure a workplace free of prejudice. Employers are responsible for guaranteeing equal treatment for all employees, regardless of caste. Promoting equality, fairness, and meritocracy in employment, promotions, and awards can help fight caste-based biases. It is crucial to provide a secure workplace where workers can openly express any concerns about caste discrimination, and prompt action must be taken to address such problems.

• Regional Sensitivities

India's diversity extends beyond religion and language to include a plethora of regional cultures and traditions. Every location has its own distinct social practices, food, and customs. Employers must be sensitive to these regional differences and build an inclusive workplace environment that values and respects varied regional identities. Celebrating local festivals and encouraging staff to talk about their local heritage can promote inclusivity and a sense of pride.

Assessing Equity in India

Giving every employee the resources, they need to have access to opportunities is what equity in the workplace is all about. Equity acknowledges that everyone has unique requirements, experiences, and circumstances, and it addresses the disparity in opportunities available to them. For Gen Z and millennials, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE & I) are all critical factors. According to the People at Work 2022 report by ADP Research Institute, 85% of young workers aged 18 to 24 believe that there is a lack of diversity and inclusion policies in India, while 82% believe a gender wage gap exists and is unfair. While 62% of employees in India accept and value their company's gender pay equity policy. There is still a long way to go in encouraging accountability and awareness of the current condition of fairness inside organisations, even though organisations frequently perform periodic pay analyses. This is because there is still a lack of communication and transparency. Although 88% of organisations do periodic wage studies to determine pay equity disparities, only a handful of organisations communicate the data with their employees and stakeholders in a transparent manner (People at Work 2022). Organisations demonstrate a concentrated attempt to limit the influence of unconscious bias in performance management through a variety of ways. Moreover, ensuring fairness in recruiting is an important step towards forming diverse teams.

Programmes offered under inclusion and diversity

Inclusion efforts across Identity Groups in India

 It is encouraging to see organisations combine efforts that are promotion-focused (Allyships, employee resource groups (ERGs)), prevention-focused (unconscious bias training), response-focused (grievance redressal), and ensure a mix of initiatives that specifically target individuals (career sponsorship) and the organisation as a whole (ERGs/Networking).

• Infrastructural support for inclusion of all genders and PwDs

Encouragement of female support and inclusion of the third gender. The high expense of retrofitting infrastructures and past exclusionary design have stymied progress towards building completely accessible workplaces for people with disabilities. For instance, restrooms that are gender-neutral and accessible to people with disabilities, feeding and pumping areas, ramps and routes that are separate for people with disabilities, transportation facilities, etc. According to WTW 2022, almost 33% of the companies had gender-neutral restrooms and 20% gave diversity scholarships in some Indian workplaces.

Organisations are becoming more innovative in their technology implementation for DE&I enablement. At various stages of the DE&I journey, a variety of technologies, including AI and the Internet of Things, are being implemented to improve inclusion, remove accessibility barriers, optimise performance, and for many other objectives.

According to NASSCOM and Aon, 71% of organisations are using AR/VR technologies for virtual training that address the needs of digital accessibility and offer fair resources.

According to NASSCOM and Aon, 52% of organisations have made their workplaces more accessible through technology means, such as text-to-speech on the web.

To level the playing field for varied talents, 48% of organisations offer assistive technologies like automatic wheelchairs and hearing aids in 2022.

For the special needs of their diverse workforce, 23% of organisations are implementing technology like IoT, automated devices, preprogrammed tools, and applications in 2023.

• Inclusive leave policy offerings

 Leading organisations are introducing gender-neutral leave policies to make leave policies more inclusive, debunking the social notion that childcare is only for women. While primary carer leave remains at 26 weeks, secondary carer leave is gaining traction, with a few top organisations offering 12 weeks of leave to secondary carers, however the average remains at 2 weeks. To respect various family arrangements, a few notable organisations also offer equal leave for adoption, surrogacy, and childbirth.

• Programs Fostering Intergenerational DE&I

Organisations must prioritise tangible practises that promote intergenerational collaboration, such as guaranteeing age diversity in project teams and implementing different communication methods and feedback channels for different age groups. While the involuntary retirement age for more than half of organisations is between 55 and 60 years old. However, if an employee wants to stay after retirement, many of them are pleased to offer contractually extended employment chances.

Cultural sensitivity and DE&I are essential for a progressive Indian workplace. Employers must actively recognise and value the country's enormous cultural diversity to foster an inclusive and harmonious atmosphere. Employers may leverage the power of diversity by embracing cultural sensitivities and creating a vibrant workplace where employees feel appreciated, respected, and inspired. Promoting cultural sensitivity and DE&I necessitates constant work, education, and open communication.

To have a long-lasting impact, organisations must identify and lead DE&I actions that remove structural constraints. As a result, DE&I efforts are no longer a "nice to have," but a "must-have" component for attracting and retaining talent, strengthening relationships with customers and stakeholders, and achieving long-term success. Organisations are searching for a data-driven strategy to establish their DE&I goals, priorities, and roadmap to elevate their efforts towards a more diverse, inclusive, and fair workplace.

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• February 2019 (Revised March 2021)
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India: State Capacity and Unity in Diversity

• Format: Print
• | Language: English
• | Pages: 40

About The Authors

Alberto F. Cavallo

Matthew C. Weinzierl

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Regions & Countries

2. diversity and pluralism.

Indians are much more likely to view their country’s religious diversity as an asset than as a liability. About half of Indians (53%) say religious diversity benefits the country, while 24% say it is harmful. The remainder (24%) don’t take a position either way.

At the same time, Indians of different religious backgrounds don’t see much in common with each other. For example, most Muslims say members of their religious community are very different from Hindus or Sikhs, and vice versa – most Hindus and Sikhs see themselves as very different from Muslims. With few exceptions, India’s major religious groups perceive more differences than similarities between their communities.

By their own admission, Indians also don’t know much about religions other than their own. While many Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists say they know at least something about the Hindu religion, fewer Hindus claim any knowledge about India’s minority religions – even those, like Jainism or Sikhism, with some theological similarities to Hinduism.

India’s religiously diverse population is, therefore, composed of religious communities who are not too familiar with each other’s beliefs and practices, and who don’t see much common ground among them. Yet, many Indians take a pluralistic, rather than exclusivist, attitude toward religious beliefs. The predominant opinion among Indian adults overall, as well as within most of the country’s major religious groups, is that “many religions can be true,” rather than that theirs is “the one true religion.”

Many Indians also practice religion in a pluralistic way. For example, a substantial minority of Muslims, especially in some regions of the country, say they celebrate the festivals of Diwali and Holi, which are more commonly celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains. Many Christians also say they celebrate Diwali and Holi, while some Hindus celebrate Christmas. In addition, some members of India’s religious minority groups say they have prayed, meditated or performed a ritual at a Hindu temple. And, for their part, one-in-five Hindus in the North say they have worshipped at a gurdwara (a Sikh house of worship), and some in the South say they have prayed at a church. (See Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 for additional analyses of shared beliefs and practices across religious groups.)

More Indians say religious diversity benefits their country than say it is harmful

Indians tend to see this religious diversity as benefiting their country. Roughly half say diversity benefits India (53%), while about one-quarter say diversity harms the country (24%). Generally, Indians of different ages, educational backgrounds and regions of residence tend to agree that diversity benefits the country.

However, a sizable minority (24%) does not take a clear position on the question, saying that diversity “neither benefits nor harms the country,” that they don’t know, or declining to answer the question.

Majorities of Sikhs (60%), Muslims (56%) and Jains (55%) say religious diversity benefits India. Meanwhile, fewer than half of Buddhists (46%) and Christians (44%) take this position; about three-in-ten in both groups do not provide a clear answer either way.

The most religious Indians – that is, those who say religion is very important to their lives – are more likely than those who are less religious to say religious diversity is beneficial to the country (55% vs. 39%).

Among Hindus, a majority of those who have a favorable opinion of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) say religious diversity benefits the country (57%), compared with 45% among those who have an unfavorable opinion of the BJP.

Within the Indian population as a whole, attitudes about religious diversity also vary by region: Majorities in the North (68%) and Northeast (64%) think diversity benefits the country. The South is somewhat less positive: Southerners generally are less likely than those in other regions to say diversity benefits the country.

Hindus in the South are relatively unenthusiastic about the benefits of religious diversity: 42% say diversity benefits the country. And while roughly half of Southern Muslims (48%) say India’s diversity helps the country, in the North (68%) and Northeast (75%), higher shares of Muslims see India’s religious diversity as an asset.

Most Buddhists, Muslims and Christians see members of their own religion as very different from Hindus

Even though Indians tend to value their country’s religious diversity, India’s religious communities generally don’t see much in common with one another. Across religious groups, large shares say that, based on what they know, members of their religious group are “very different” from followers of other religions. In fact, only 36% of all Indian adults say their group has “a lot in common” with even one of the five other major groups mentioned in the survey; the remainder (64%) either say they are very different from, or do not give a definite answer about, all five other groups.

For example, majorities among Indian Buddhists (67%), Muslims (64%) and Christians (58%) say they are very different from Hindus. Jains and Sikhs, on the other hand, tend to take the view that they have a lot in common with Hindus – 66% of Jains and 52% of Sikhs say this, the only two cases in which majorities or pluralities of one group say they have “a lot” in common with another group.

Most people in India’s non-Muslim religious groups don’t see much in common between the Muslim community and their own. Most Hindus (66%) say their group is very different from Muslims, as do nearly nine-in-ten Buddhists (88%). Sikhs are the most likely to say they have a lot in common with Muslims – 36% of Sikhs say this. Still, the majority view among Sikhs is that they are very different from Muslims (55%).

While many Sikhs see common ground with other groups, members of those groups generally are less likely to say they have a lot in common with Sikhs. For instance, 52% of Sikhs say they have a lot in common with Hindus, while just 20% of Hindus say the same about Sikhs. Members of some of these groups may be less familiar with the relatively small Sikh population that is also concentrated in the state of Punjab; about three-in-ten Hindus and Muslims and four-in-ten Christians say they “don’t know” or otherwise decline to answer the question about how much they have in common with Sikhs.

People in the North of India are more likely than those in other regions to say their religious group has a lot in common with other groups. This pattern holds true across multiple religious groups. People in the Western, Central and Northeastern regions, meanwhile, generally are less likely to see commonalities among religious groups.

Indians are highly knowledgeable about their own religion, less so about other religions

Considerably fewer people say they know a great deal – or even some – about other religions. For example, roughly a third of India’s Hindus (36%) say they know at least something about Islam, and even fewer say they know something about Christianity (28%). About one-in-five Hindus say they have at least some knowledge about Buddhism (21%), Sikhism (19%) or Jainism (18%), despite theological similarities between Hinduism and these three religions. Most Hindus say they know “not very much” or “nothing at all” about each of the other faiths.

Of course, the vast majority of Indians are Hindu, and it stands to reason that non-Hindus living in India would have at least some knowledge about Hinduism. Half of Muslims and most Jains (92%), Christians (66%), Sikhs (62%) and Buddhists (59%) say they know at least something about the Hindu religion and its practices.

Yet Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and Muslims generally know less about one another’s religions. For example, just 26% of Sikhs say they know at least “some” about Islam, and only 13% of Muslims say they know something about the Sikh religion and its practices.

One exception is how much Christians know about Islam. Nearly half of Christians (47%) say they know either a lot or some about Islam. Far fewer Muslims (18%) say the same about Christianity.

More Muslims in the South of the country than elsewhere say they know about other religions. For example, about half of Muslims in the South (53%) say they have at least some knowledge of Christianity, compared with 18% of Muslims nationally. And a large majority of Southern Muslims (76%) say they know at least something about Hinduism, including (27%) who say they know a lot about the country’s majority religion. By comparison, half of Muslims nationally indicate they know at least something about Hinduism, and just 9% say they know a lot about the religion.

Among Hindus, those who are college educated are more likely to claim at least some knowledge about other religions. Hindus who live in the North of India are more likely than Hindus overall to say they know at least something about Sikhism (44% vs. 19% nationally), perhaps because many Sikhs are concentrated in the Northern state of Punjab. And Hindus from the South are much more likely than those elsewhere to say they have some knowledge of Islam (54% vs. 36% nationally) and Christianity (56% vs. 28% nationally).

Indians lean toward seeing truth in many religions

The predominant view among Hindus, Christians, Sikhs and Buddhists is that there are many true religions. Muslims have the largest share who take the position that theirs is the one true religion (51%). Jains are about evenly divided on this question.

Gender and age make little difference in whether people believe their religion is the only true one. There is, however, a link between education and views on this question: College-educated Indians are more likely than others to say many religions can be true (59% vs. 50%). Also, people living in urban areas of the country are slightly more inclined to take this position than rural Indians (55% vs. 49%).

Generally, Indians who are more religiously observant are much more likely to take the view that theirs is the one true religion. Among Indians who say religion is very important in their lives, 45% say only their religion is true, compared with a quarter (24%) of Indians who say religion is less important in their lives. This pattern holds among both Hindus and Muslims; for example, 53% of Muslims who say religion is very important in their lives see Islam as the one true religion, compared with 35% among those who consider religion less important.

Regionally, majorities of Indian adults in the North, East and South say many religions can be true. By contrast, those in the Central region are generally more likely to say their religion is the one true faith (55%).

Among Hindus in the North, a majority (57%) say many religions can be true. But among Northern Muslims, about the same share take the opposite view: 58% say Islam is the one true religion.

Substantial shares of Buddhists, Sikhs say they have worshipped at religious venues other than their own

In an effort to understand whether Indians of various religious backgrounds mix religious practices, the survey asked people if they have ever prayed, meditated or performed a ritual in a house of worship other than the one associated with their own religion. For example, Sikhs were asked if they have ever prayed, meditated or performed a ritual at a mosque, church, Hindu temple, Buddhist stupa or Sufi shrine. (For more discussion of religious beliefs and practices that many Indians have in common, see Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 .)

The distinction between Hindu and Jain temples is often ambiguous, so it stands to reason that a majority of Jains (67%) say they have worshipped at a Hindu temple. Some Jains (14%) also have prayed at a Sikh gurdwara.

About one-in-ten Sikhs (11%) and Muslims (10%) say they have prayed, meditated or performed a ritual at a Sufi shrine; Sufism tends to be most closely associated with a particular interpretation of Islam, although people of many faiths in India identify with Sufism (see Chapter 5 for details).

In the South, where many of India’s Christians are concentrated, about one-in-ten Hindus (12%) say they have prayed at a church, and roughly the same share (11%) say they have performed a ritual at a mosque.

Among Muslims, 18% say they have prayed at a house of worship other than a mosque, including those who have worshipped at a Sufi shrine. (Sufi shrines are most closely associated with Islam, though there is also anti-Sufi sentiment among some Muslims in parts of the world.) Excluding Sufi shrines, one-in-ten Muslims in India have worshipped at a church, Hindu temple, Sikh gurdwara or Buddhist stupa.

Overall, men and college-educated Indians are slightly more likely to say they have prayed, meditated or performed a ritual at one or more venues associated with another religion. For example, 10% of college-educated Hindus have prayed at a church, compared with 6% of those who have less education.

One-in-five Muslims in India participate in celebrations of Diwali

As expected, most people celebrate festivals associated with their own religious tradition. Near-universal shares of Hindus (95%), Sikhs (90%) and Jains (98%) say they celebrate Diwali, as do about eight-in-ten Buddhists (79%). Muslims overwhelmingly say they participate in celebrations of Eid (93%), and virtually all Christians (97%) celebrate Christmas. In addition, the vast majority of Indians (87%), regardless of their religious background, commemorate the day India declared its independence from British rule, celebrated on Aug. 15.

But many Indians also celebrate festivals that are not traditionally associated with their respective religions. For example, substantial shares of Muslims (20%) and Christians (31%) in India say they participate in Diwali celebrations. Also, notable shares of both those religious communities (16% of Muslims and 25% of Christians) say they participate in celebrating Holi, the spring festival of color that is observed by most Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains.

Fewer Hindus (and other non-Muslims) celebrate the Muslim holiday of Eid. Among Hindus, 7% say they participate in celebrations of Eid, as do 11% of Christians. But celebrations of Christmas are relatively popular among non-Christians in India: Nearly one-in-five Hindus, Sikhs and Jains say they participate in Christmas festivities.

Muslims vary regionally when it comes to celebrating Diwali and Holi. Among Muslims in the North, nearly a quarter (24%) say they celebrate Diwali, and 15% participate in Holi festivities. In Western India, even larger shares of Muslims say they participate in Diwali (39%) and Holi (31%) celebrations.

Nationally, marking Valentine’s Day tends to be more popular among young adults (35% among those ages 18 to 25), those who have a college education (40%) and those who live in urban areas (27%). It also is more commonly celebrated by people who do not consider religion very important in their lives (27%, vs. 20% among those who see religion as very important).

Even though some Hindu groups have criticized Valentine’s Day as foreign to Indian culture and inappropriate for a socially conservative society, participation in the holiday is not politically divided. People who have a favorable opinion of the ruling party are no less likely than those who have an unfavorable view of the BJP to say they celebrate Valentine’s Day (21% and 20%, respectively).

• A  national survey fielded by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies in 2019 found that 21% of Indians either fully or somewhat agree with the statement “Only my religion is correct, not of anyone else,” while a majority of Indians (57%) somewhat or fully disagree with it. ↩

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Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

ISSN : 2040-7149

Article publication date: 24 June 2020

Issue publication date: 21 July 2020

The purpose of this paper is to present the diversity and equality perspectives from the national context of India and introduce a special issue about equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in India.

Design/methodology/approach

This special issue consists of six articles on current EDI issues in India. The first three of the contributions are focused on descriptions of diversity challenges and policies regarding caste and disabilities, while the remaining three papers address gender diversity.

In addition to providing an overview of this issue's articles, this paper highlights developments and current themes in India's country-specific equality and diversity scholarship. Drawing on the special issue's six papers, the authors show the relevance of Western theories while also pointing to the need for reformulation of others in the context of India.

Research limitations/implications

The authors conclude with a call to further explore diversity in India and to develop locally relevant, culture-sensitive theoretical frameworks. Religious and economic diversity should receive more attention in future diversity management scholarship in the Indian context.

Originality/value

How does India experience equality and diversity concepts? How are India's approaches similar or different from those experienced in other countries? How do theoretical frameworks originated in the West apply in India? Are new, locally grounded frameworks needed to better capture the developments at play? These questions are addressed by the contributions to this special issue.

Haq, R. , Klarsfeld, A. , Kornau, A. and Ngunjiri, F.W. (2020), "Diversity in India: addressing caste, disability and gender", Equality, Diversity and Inclusion , Vol. 39 No. 6, pp. 585-596. https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-04-2020-0095

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India: Cultivating Cultural Sensitivities And Promoting Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion At Workplace

Cultural sensitivities and diversity have, especially in the recent years, emerged as crucial elements in any workplace. India is a country with a rich and diverse culture, and this diversity is reflected in the Indian workplace. Employers in India have a unique opportunity to create inclusive environments that respect and celebrate differences. By embracing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (" DE&I ") practices, employers can unlock the immense potential of their diverse workforce and establish a harmonious and productive workplace.

Understanding Cultural Sensitivities

Cultural sensitivity is the ability to understand and appreciate the different cultural norms and values that exist in a society. There are many different cultural factors that can affect the workplace. For example, In certain cultures, making direct eye contact with a superior can be perceived as disrespectful or challenging authority. On the other hand, in some cultures, avoiding eye contact may indicate a lack of confidence or trustworthiness. Similarly in some cultures, eating with one's hands is customary, while in others, it may be seen as unhygienic or impolite.

The cultural fabric of India is a dynamic mosaic comprised of an array of languages, religions, customs, and traditions. It is imperative for employers to recognize and honour this diverse tapestry in order to foster cultural sensitivity within the workplace. An effective way to demonstrate inclusivity is through the acknowledgment and appreciation of the numerous festivals celebrated throughout the country. By endorsing employees' participation in these festivities, organizing inclusive workplace events, and facilitating cross-cultural interactions, a profound sense of belonging and unity can be nurtured.

Language Diversity

India has an extraordinary linguistic diversity, encompassing a multitude of languages spoken across the nation. To foster an inclusive environment, it is crucial for employers to acknowledge and embrace this linguistic tapestry.. By taking simple yet meaningful steps such as offering multilingual communication tools, translating vital company documents, and encouraging employees to communicate in their preferred language, a profound sense of inclusivity and belonging can be nurtured.

Gender Sensitivities

Gender roles and expectations vary across India's diverse cultural landscape, so employers must be mindful of these differences and create policies and practices that are inclusive of all genders. Implementing policies that promote diversity in leadership roles, providing comprehensive maternity and paternity benefits, and organizing awareness campaigns on gender equality can foster a more inclusive workplace.

Religious Tolerance

India has a rich religious heritage. To cultivate an environment that honours religious diversity, employers can implement several measures such as providing flexible work schedules during religious observances and avoiding scheduling significant meetings or events on religious holidays. Promoting interfaith dialogues and celebrations further fosters mutual understanding and respect among employees.

Caste Sensitivities

Caste, a sensitive topic deeply ingrained in Indian society, requires constant vigilance to maintain a discrimination free workplace. Employers bear the responsibility of ensuring equitable treatment for all employees, irrespective of their caste. Fostering equality, fairness, and meritocracy in hiring, promotions, and rewards can help counteract caste-based biases. Establishing a safe environment where employees can openly address any concerns regarding caste discrimination is essential, and swift action must be taken to resolve such issues.

Regional Sensitivities

India's diversity goes beyond religion and language, encompassing a myriad of regional cultures and traditions. Each region has its unique customs, cuisine, and social practices. It is essential for employers to demonstrate sensitivity to these regional variations and foster an inclusive workplace environment that values and respects diverse regional identities. Celebrating regional festivals and encouraging employees to share their regional heritage can foster a sense of pride and inclusivity.

Cultural Sensitivity in Collecting DE&I Data

When collecting data for DE&I initiatives, it is crucial to approach the process with cultural sensitivity, particularly within the Indian context. Employers should be cognizant of the unique cultural nuances that influence how employees perceive and respond to data collection efforts. Sensitivity should be exercised to ensure employees feel comfortable and respected throughout the data collection process.

One significant aspect to consider is the cultural attitudes towards data privacy and confidentiality. In India, individuals may possess varying levels of comfort when sharing personal information, especially regarding sensitive topics such as caste, religion, or gender identity. To ensure cultural sensitivity, employers should prioritize transparency and clearly communicate the purpose and confidentiality measures surrounding the data collection process. Assurances of anonymity and the use of aggregated data to protect individual identities can help assuage concerns and encourage employee participation.

Furthermore, employers must recognize the diverse nature of the country and avoid adopting a one-size-fits-all approach to data collection. When designing data collection mechanisms, it is crucial to consider India's diversity and tailor questions and categories to capture the unique aspects of Indian culture and identity. By acknowledging and embracing this diversity, employers can collect more accurate and meaningful data that reflects the multifaceted nature of the Indian workforce.

Recommendations for Enhancing Cultural Sensitivity and Collecting DE&I Data

• Develop Cultural Sensitivity Training Programs : Provide comprehensive training programs that educate employees about various cultural sensitivities, encouraging empathy, understanding, and respect in the workplace. These programs can include modules on religious customs, regional traditions, and gender dynamics, helping employees navigate cultural differences with sensitivity.
• Establish Employee Resource Groups (" ERGs" ): Create ERGs representing different cultural or affinity groups within the organization. These groups provide a platform for employees to come together, celebrate their unique cultural identities, and provide valuable insights to improve workplace policies and practices. For instance, an ERG focusing on religious diversity can organize educational sessions where employees share insights about their religious traditions, fostering a culture of learning and respect.
• Implement Flexible Work Arrangements : Recognize the diverse needs of employees by offering flexible work arrangements that accommodate religious observances, regional festivals, or personal cultural commitments. For instance, employers can adopt a flexible approach to acknowledge religious and cultural holidays. Rather than mandating a set number of fixed public holidays, employers can offer a specific number of leave days for public holidays, allowing employees to choose when to take leave based on their individual preferences. This empowers employees to celebrate their respective religious or cultural festivals in a manner that aligns with their personal needs and preferences.
• Conduct Anonymous Surveys and Feedback Mechanisms : When collecting DE&I data, ensure anonymity to encourage open and honest responses. This can help employees feel more comfortable sharing their experiences, challenges, and suggestions related to cultural sensitivities and DE&I initiatives.
• Engage in External Partnerships : Collaborate with external organizations or experts who specialize in DE&I and cultural sensitivity to provide guidance, resources, and workshops tailored to the Indian context. This can further enhance understanding and implementation of cultural sensitivity initiatives.

Cultural sensitivities and DE&I are vital for a progressive Indian workplace. Employers must actively acknowledge and value the abundant cultural diversity within the country to cultivate an inclusive and harmonious environment. By embracing cultural sensitivities, employers can harness the power of diversity and create a thriving workplace where employees feel valued, respected, and motivated. Fostering cultural sensitivity and promoting DE&I require ongoing effort, education, and open communication. Through these concerted steps, employers in India can build stronger teams, enhance productivity, and foster a culture of inclusivity and mutual respect.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

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Diversity and Inclusion in Action: An Indian Perspective

By Jai Thade, Content Designer

Last week, we looked at the history and context behind diversity and inclusion in India, with a special emphasis on the issues of Caste, Disability, and LGBTQ Identity. We also briefly touched on a few examples of the work being proactively completed in this space to create inclusivity. 

This week let’s take a deeper dive into the work various organisations are doing in this space and try to derive a few key insights that we can carry into our own workspaces. 

While of the 3 issues in our last article we discussed the most about Caste, ironically the least seems to have been done about it.  

Most organizations report no issues with caste, saying that all their people-decisions are based on merit and merit alone. However, this perspective doesn’t fit well with research that indicates the low representation of disadvantaged castes at higher management levels, and which also sheds light on their day-to-day experiences of marginalization.  

However, it is also worth taking the time to acknowledge some of the progress made, as well as some of the initiatives put in place to tackle this inequity. As a rule-of-thumb, marginalized castes generally tend to fall under the umbrella of those initiatives that organizations say target the “underprivileged” or “financially backward”.  

For instance, ICICI Bank has set up the ICICI Manipal Probationary Officer Programme. This provides such students training in the soft skills necessary to better assimilate into a workforce that also contains employees from more privileged backgrounds. These kinds of training initiatives aim to build confidence and fill the lacuna created by an imperfect education system. 

Tata Group and its subsidiaries have also taken many strides in this space. Their Tata Affirmative Action Program (TAAP) focuses on practices like positive discrimination (preference being given to minority candidates over regular candidates when their qualifications and performance in the selection process are on par), awarding scholarships for meritorious students, as well as partnering with vendors from marginalized communities.  

One of the winners of their TAAP Jury award, TRL Krosaki, has also promoted entrepreneurial initiatives within the community through vocational skill development in skills like sewing. Such know-how encourages disadvantaged individuals to earn their own livelihood. 

My opinion revolves around the idea of offering the community help, not handouts. “Help” could include measures like mentoring, transparency in business processes (displaying inclusion data publicly may change behaviour by exposing business units to potential scrutiny), as well as incentivization by our government through the awarding (or removal) of concessional rates, export subsidies, tax benefits etc. 

Last week, when looking at initiatives focused on improving accessibility for employees with disabilities, we looked at the example of Wipro Technologies. However, there are also other examples from India’s IT-BPO industry worth discussing. 

For instance, there’s Infosys – which also happens to be the 1st Indian IT company to establish a separate office for Diversity and Inclusion. They launched an Employee Resource Group (ERG) for employees with disabilities called “Infyability”. This ERG assists with various facets such as the recruitment, development, engagement, growth, and retention of disabled employees.  

Along with the more customary practice of providing accessories and tools that enable greater accessibility, they also offer their disabled employees a special loan scheme which enables them to even purchase such equipment that their condition may require. 

They also leveraged their intranet platform to launch some innovative information-media campaigns within the company. These campaigns used videos and emails to allow disabled employees to share their experiences with their peers.  

The response of Infosys employees, indicated for instance by a large number of views and positive comments on the video of an employee with cerebral palsy, vindicate the power of storytelling. Moreover, such initiatives also provide an avenue for others to learn from the experiences of disabled employees. 

Please note that these examples are no way exhaustive of the work being done by various organizations in this area. They only attempt to scratch the surface.   

Personally, I really liked the idea of sharing experiences to shed light, dispel myths and build empathy. In fact, research even seems to indicate a health benefit that comes to someone by sharing their story. We can also take such initiatives one step further by involving guest speakers and setting-up panel discussions as well – something we as an organisation do across the globe in cities such as London, New York, Johannesburg, Singapore, and Mumbai. 

When it comes to LGBTQ inclusion, initiatives are more common in the realm of multinationals and elite companies than in SMEs.  

A great example would be the software consultancy organization Thoughtworks, and the work they’ve done in their India chapter. They have an initiative called “Interning with Pride”, a 5-month technical training program for LGBTQ interns, which builds skills through the industry experience of working on a real-life project hands-on. There are examples of interns of this program becoming full-time employees as a result.  

They have also set up an LGBTQ+ council called “MITRA Collective”, which organizes events, conducts workshops & awareness campaigns (both internally and externally), and partners with non-profits for the cause. 

There are many other examples of LGBTQ-friendly initiatives sprinkled throughout Indian organizations.  

When it comes to the practice of sharing stories, LGBTQ employees at Accenture can do so on a virtual platform that also allows them to answer questions from allies of the cause. IBM has allowed employees to do something similar on YouTube through the medium of vlogs.  

When it comes to awareness, Sodexo ran a campaign against homophobia at work. The Lalit Hospitality group held sensitization sessions led by drag queens and trans activists.  

When it comes to policy, the same Lalit Hospitality Group also provides health insurance coverage to same-sex couples and to single parents with children from surrogacy or adoption. The insurance also covers Sex affirmation surgeries. 

I think broadly a lot of the work being achieved constitutes steps in the right direction. What we need next is for such initiatives to become the norm rather than the exception. Gradual exposure and sensitization, along with knowing (and even more importantly seeing evidence of) the business case for LGBTQ inclusion, will do a good job at catalysing that. When it comes to the nature of initiatives, we will eventually need to progress beyond sensitization and informational workshops to more substantial initiatives, like some of the examples above. 

While a lot of steps have been taken in the realm of D&I, you will, with no doubt see how a lot of progress is yet to be made. It is to take an active part in this progress that In Diverse Company has begun to launch many initiatives in the country. 

Our work is underpinned by one key idea: Integrating the best of data-technology with the deep human connection to make workplaces inclusive for all.  

One of our flagship products, for instance, is our D&I ROI™  tool. Research has repeatedly demonstrated a strong business case for inclusion. This tool aims to bridge the gap between this research and the day-to-day reality of your organization. Based on our conversations with decision-makers in some of the country’s top organizations, we know how important data is for them when making people decisions. Our tool tracks your organizational data, and monitors the link between D&I, interventions and overall company performance (not just financial performance).    It can also predict future trends using the data it collects.  

We have also developed the In Diverse Company Maturity Model™  in partnership with universities from across the globe. Because of our international experience, we know the key differences between D&I strategies that are effective and ineffective in the long run. Our model allows your organization to work on creating inclusion in the “right” way and focus on what matters the most. It uses a psychometric tool and an organization-wide audit to measure the inclusiveness of individuals, teams and organizations. Supported by psychological and business research in the area of inclusion, the tool has been analyzed, tested and made to prove its reliability and validity across multiple cultures, sectors, and geographies. The organizational audit, on the other hand, is mapped to United Nations inclusion principles and pledges. With this product, organizations can hope to receive accredited ratings and detailed profiles for individuals, leaders, and teams. 

We are also mindful that issues of inclusion in organizations are embedded in larger socio-cultural ecosystems. We saw in our previous article how this is very much the case for India as well. Therefore, community work forms another big part of what we do. Here, we look at specific aspects of D&I and try to incorporate all possible stakeholders into the breadth of our interventions. For instance, when looking at the issue of Maternity – we not only offer mentoring and support to women before, during and after pregnancy, but we also try to extend the same services to members of their extended families. Issues are embedded in environments, and by targeting environments in this manner, we aim to help resolve issues at a more systemic level. 

As we conclude, it is important for us to remember and stay committed to the ancient Indian ideal of  “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (The world is one family) –  a message that’s even engraved in the entrance hall of the Parliament of India. We need to transcend our various demographic labels and strive to be more like a family. A family that, in spite of their differences or even their disagreements, stays together, supports one another and flourishes together. A family that encompasses every Indian. 

References 

https://www.fortuneindia.com/ideas/caste-why-its-still-an-issue-for-india-inc-/100264

http://old.outandequal.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Community-Business-Diversity-and-Inclusion-India-2012.pdf

https://www.communitybusiness.org/latest-news-publications/culture-caste-and-religion-india-%E2%80%93-we-cant-talk-about-work

https://www.jstor.org/stable/23509817

https://www.tata.com/careers/affirmative-action

https://www.trlkrosaki.com/sustainability/affirmative-action.aspx

http://irjbm.org/irjbm2013/Vol2/Paper.pdf

https://m.economictimes.com/tech/ites/what-tech-companies-do-to-make-the-road-smoother-for-persons-with-disabilities/articleshow/45355692.cms

https://www.businessdisabilityinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Infosys-Modern-Media-bdi-Case-Study-LDFDP.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj4y_iGkb3nAhVVb30KHUK3C60QFjADegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw3-1q_7nptHs5pbllb_iSBa

https://m.economictimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/indian-mncs-openly-allying-with-the-lgbt-cause/amp_articleshow/69951140.cms

https://www.thoughtworks.com/insights/blog/relevance-lgbtqi-inclusion-workplace-india

https://reports.vessy.com/diversity-in-the-workplace/thoughtworks-supporting-lgbtq-people-in-india/

https://yourstory.com/2018/09/sec-377-business-sense-corporate-india-startups

https://www.beyondiversity.com/best-di-practices-of-inclusion-lgbt/

• February 13, 2020

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What Happened When India Mandated Gender Diversity on Boards

• Ruth V. Aguilera,
• Venkat Kuppuswamy,
• Rahul Anand

New research found that while the policy did increase diversity, it didn’t necessarily change company cultures.

In recent research on diversity quotas in India, one of the first instances of an emerging market adopting gender quotas, the authors found that firms’ gender quotas represented a step in the right direction but did not go far enough. Firms which, at face value, seemed to be complying with gender quotas by appointing women on merit from outside the organization still “buffer” their existing activities through selective committee appointments, relegating the new female quota fillers to less consequential committees. For gender quotas to achieve their purpose as an internal corporate governance mechanism, corporate boards must embrace the appointment of well-qualified women who bring a valuable perspective to the board.

Gender quotas on corporate boards have emerged as a popular tool for policymakers to promote gender equality in the workplace. The movement began in 2003 when Norway instituted a 40 percent quota for women on its country’s corporate boards. Spain, Finland, Iceland, France, Israel, Kenya, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Germany, and Austria have followed suit with their own quotas. In March 2020, the European Commission announced it would attempt to reach a gender balance of 50 percent within its own management structure by the end of 2024. In 2018, California became the first U.S. state to mandate gender quotas for publicly traded companies incorporated in the state or risk facing heavy fines. But do these top-level initiatives produce substantive change, or are they merely symbolic?

• RA Ruth V. Aguilera is the Darla and Frederick Brodsky Trustee Professor in Global Business at the D’Amore-McKim School of Business, Northeastern University. Her research interests are at the intersection of international corporate governance and sustainability. She is a Fellow at the Academy of International Business and the Strategic Management Society.
• VK Venkat Kuppuswamy is an Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the D’Amore-McKim School of Business, Northeastern University. His research investigates the influence of race and gender in entrepreneurship and other economic domains, including the evaluation of interventions that seek to mitigate racial and gender biases in these contexts.
• RA Rahul Anand is an Assistant Professor at Aarhus BSS, Denmark. His research interests revolve around corporate strategy and corporate governance in developing as well as developed economies.

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Exploring Linguistic Diversity in India: A Spatial Analysis

2019, Handbook of the Changing World Language Map

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IJIRT Journal

Cultural diversity in general and linguistic diversity in particular has increasingly gaining its importance due to accelerating mobility and agility of people all over the world. As a result of this human mobility, language diffusion is also taking place, which is adding new directions in framing education policy in different country. The present study revolves around the contemporary scenario of language diversity of India with special emphasis on West Bengal.

Bikram Lamba

Last week, Home Minister Amit Shah suggested that states should communicate with each other in Hindi instead of English. He also emphasized that Hindi should not be a substitute for local languages. "When citizens of other languages speaking states communicate with each other, it should be in the language of India," the home ministry quoted Shah as saying at a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language.

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Multilingualism is a gift to India. Multilingualism means using several different languages. A multi-lingual person can speak two or more than two languages very well. In terms of heterogeneity, multilingualism can be explained properly .Five language families in India marked its linguistic heterogeneity. The multilingualism in India is multidimensional and intricate. There are many changes in every single language on the basis of caste, religion, gender, occupation, age etc. An individual may use different style of language at different places .It is present in the life of all citizens. Indian multilingualism became unique because of its dynamic relationship of its language. The present work is an attempt to find out the nature of multilingualism in India. It also aims to look into the different aspects of Indian multilingualism arising due to the high diversity of Indian societies.

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India’s National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) promotes mother-tongue based multilingual education. Welcoming this recommendation, this essay looks at the policy in the context of India’s linguistic diversity, and the already existing provisions for multilingual education. We list some of the conceptual and implementation challenges that the language-education recommendations in NEP 2020 face. The essay also overviews a few promising initiatives that show the way forward for a just, equitable, and sustainable policy for a mother-tongue based multilingual education in a democratic polity like India.

Dominated Languages in the 21st Century: Papers from the International Conference on Minority Languages XIV

Abhimanyu Sharma

The present paper deals with the status of linguistic minorities in India and tries to give an overview of the problems plaguing Indian language policy regarding minority languages. India represents a unique case in the current global linguistic scenario, as it is the only country in the world with 23 official languages (2 official cross-regional languages and 21 official regional languages). Despite this fact, minority languages in India cannot be regarded as well protected, as obvious from the high number of languages listed as ‘endangered’ by UNESCO. The paper looks into the various forms of domination and subordination that dictate the language policy and influence the various language communities in India, including linguistic minorities. Moreover, it undertakes an analysis of the various kinds of language conflicts prevalent in the Indian linguistic situation and examines whether the language conflicts emanate from group-specific dominance and unequal status ascriptions, and secondly, whether language is simply a secondary feature in conflicts that are mainly socially, economically and politically motivated. Lastly, the paper addresses the aspect which it sees as a highly questionable part of Indian language policy, i.e. the principle of ‘rationalization’, a method developed by the Government of India to take account of the number of ‘languages’ in India, but which has been widely criticized as a ‘reductionist’ policy because through the process of ‘rationalization’, smaller and minority languages are categorized as ‘dialects’ or ‘variants’ of the so-called major languages and are thus deprived of their own independent status and identity.

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Diversity of India, Types, Constitutional Provisions, Associated Challenges

Diversity of India gives India a title of land of diversity. Know all forms of Diversity of India like Cultural, Religion, Society, Geography & Ethnic diversity for UPSC Exam preparation.

Table of Contents

About Diversity of India

In India, diversity means that people vary from one another in terms of their physical characteristics as well as their regional, cultural, and religious beliefs. Language and ritual variations are just a few examples of the differences. The lives of Indians are enriched by this variety. This article will assist students in comprehending diversity and its forms in India. The  UPSC Syllabus includes Diversity of India as a significant topic Indian Society for UPSC Exam. The UPSC Mock Test  can help candidates prepare for the exam with more precision.

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What is Diversity of India?

The term “diversity” emphasizes differences more than injustice. It alludes to differences between groups of people or inequalities within those groups. These distinctions could be linguistic, philosophical, biological, or in any other way. Diversity is the wide range of racial groups, religions, dialects, castes, and cultural traditions.

Integrity means harmony. It is a societal psychological condition. It implies a feeling of cohesion and harmony. It stands for the bonds that bind members of a community together. “Unity in diversity” essentially refers to “diversity without fragmentation” and “unity without uniformity.” The foundation of it is the notion that diversity improves interpersonal dialogue.

When we say that India is a nation with a rich cultural diversity, we mean the many different social and cultural subgroups that call India home. These groups distinguish themselves mainly by cultural characteristics such as language, faith, sect, race, or caste.

Also Read: Caste System in India

Types of Diversity in India

Cultural d iversity of india.

India’s cultural diversity is a rich tapestry woven from a myriad of traditions, languages, religions, and customs. This vibrant mosaic has been shaped by centuries of interaction between diverse cultures, both within India and beyond its borders. The result is a country that is as diverse as it is vast, with each region offering its own unique blend of customs, traditions, and beliefs.

Religious Diversity of India

Due to the rich diversity of India is called the ‘land of diversity’. India is a nation where many various religions are practised. Hindus make up the majority of the people in India (82.41%), followed by Muslims (11.6%), Christians (2.32%), Sikhs (1.9%), Buddhists (0.77%), and Jains (0.41%), as well as the tribal groups, many of which still engage in animism and magic. There are numerous groups within the Hindu religion, including the Vaishnavas, Shaivites, Shaktas, and Smartas. There are numerous Muslim groups as well, such as Shi’ites, Sunnis, Ahmadis, etc.

Language Diversity of India

The Dravidian languages, spoken by 20% of Indians, and the Indo-Aryan languages, spoken by 75% of Indians, are the two main language groups among the languages spoken in India. Other languages can be found in the Austroasiatic, Sino-Tibetan, Tai-Kadai, and a few other minor language groups and isolates. India has the second-highest number of languages in the globe, right behind Papua New Guinea. According to the 1931 census, the ethnic diversity of India was split into the following groups: Western Brachycephalians, Negritos, Proto-Australoids, Mongoloid, Mediterranean, and Nordic.

Caste Diversity in India

Members of the three main global races—Caucasoid, Mongoloid, and Negroid—are included in the caste diversity: India is a country that Both varna and jati have previously been referred to as “caste.” The four Varna categories that functional differentiation divides society into are described as such. a Shudra, a Vaishya, a Kshatriya, and a Brahmin.

While “Jati” refers to a hereditary endogamous status group practising a particular customary trade. There isn’t a single method in place in all of India for categorizing and ranking the more than 3000 jatis. The dynamic and mobile nature of the Jati system has enabled Jatis to change its location over time. This process of ascent was referred to as “Sanskritization” by M. N. Srinivas.

Ethnic Diversity of India

Ethnic diversity Cultural trends reveal regional variations. Indian culture is very varied and a fusion of many other cultures as a result of the country’s diverse population. Every country, caste, and faith has its distinctive customs and cultures. There are consequently differences in music, dance, theatre, and architecture.

Geographic Diversity in India

India is a large country with a total land area of 3.28 million square kilometres and a diverse range of natural environments, including deserts, evergreen woods, steep mountains, perennial and non-perennial river systems, long coastlines, and fertile plains. India has diversity in many other areas besides the main ones already mentioned, including tribal, rural, and urban patterns of habitation, patterns of marriage and kinship along religious and regional lines, and more.

Diversity of India and Constitutional Provisions

A single person with a constitutional identity is chosen to lead the complete country. Furthermore, regardless of their age, gender, class, caste, or religion, all citizens are guaranteed certain basic rights under the Constitution, even though the majority of states adhere to a standard three-tier structure of government.

Religion India is known for its tolerance, which makes it possible for a wide variety of beliefs to coexist there. The freedom of faith and practice is guaranteed by the Constitution itself. The state has no official state religion and gives all religions similar priority. The freedom of mobility guaranteed by Article 19 (1) (d) of the Indian Constitution promotes a spirit of brotherhood and unity among the populace.

The uniformity of the law, penal code, and administrative duties are additional factors that contribute to consistency in the criminal justice system and policy execution (such as All India Services). By enabling “one country, one tax, one national market,” the Goods and Service Tax (GST) has cleared the way for regional cohesion. Additionally, Article 21 of the Indian Constitution promises freedom of commerce, trade, and intercourse relations within Indian Territory.

Diversity of India From North to South and East to West

• In India, spirituality and faith are very significant. From Badrinath and Kedarnath in the north to Rameshwaram in the south, Jagannath Puri in the east, and Dwaraka in the west, religious sites and sacred rivers can be found all over the length and width of the nation.
• They have a strong connection to the age-old practice of pilgrimage, which has always attracted people to various parts of the country and given them a sense of geo-cultural identification.
• Because people from all over the country attend fairs and festivals, they also function as integrating factors. Similar to how Muslims and Christians celebrate Id and Christmas, so do Hindus across the country on Diwali. Interreligious holidays are also celebrated in India.
• The entire Indian subcontinent’s flora and fauna, agricultural pursuits, and way of life, including vacations, are impacted by weather integration through the monsoon season. The country as a whole enjoys sports and movies, which act as unifying factors.

Diversity of India and Associated Threats and Challenges

Diversity of India faces certain threats and the social fabric of the society gets disrupted by the following means and modes are mentioned below:

Regionalism

In contrast to national interests, regionalism frequently emphasizes the interests of a specific area or region. It may also harm national unity. Regional demands and the resulting unrest have a negative impact on law and order.

Divisive Politics

Politicians will occasionally invoke ascriptive identities like caste, faith, etc. to win support. Violence, feelings of distrust, and suspicion among minorities can result from this kind of polarizing politics.

Development Imbalance

The backwardness of a region can be brought on by uneven socioeconomic growth, poor economic policies, and the resulting economic disparities. As a result, this may spark acts of violence, ignite migration surges, or even fuel separatist demands. For instance, the North East area has experienced a rise in secessionist demands and tendencies due to the region’s economic disadvantage.

Ethnic Differentiation

Conflicts between various ethnic groups have frequently resulted from ethnic differences, particularly as a result of issues like employment competition, a lack of resources, identity threats, etc. For instance, Bodos and Muslims who understand Bengali frequently fight in Assam. The Son of the Land doctrine, which links people to their place of birth and bestows upon them certain advantages, rights, roles, and obligations that may not apply to others, has served to emphasize this.

Geographical Isolation

Geographic isolation can also result in identity problems and calls for secession. Because the Siliguri corridor, which connects the North-East to the rest of the nation, is so narrow, the region is physically isolated from the rest of the nation. The area is relatively more backward than the rest of the nation and has poor infrastructure. This has led to several incidents of secession and cross-border terrorism, among other things.

Inter-Religious Conflicts

Interreligious conflicts damage the secular fabric of the nation as well as relations between two communities by sowing distrust and dread.

Inter-State Conflicts

This may cause feelings of regionalism to develop. Additionally, it may have an impact on interstate commerce and contact. Consider the conflict over the Cauvery River between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. External forces like terrorist organizations or extremist groups can occasionally instigate violence and sow feelings of secession. Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), for instance, has been charged with aiding and training mujahideen to engage in combat in Jammu and Kashmir and fostering separatist sentiment among local organizations.

Diversity of India UPSC

The problem, not diversity itself, is how it is handled in Indian culture. Problems like regionalism, communalism, and ethnic conflicts have arisen as a result of an unfair distribution of the benefits of growth or an undervaluation of some groups’ cultures. As a result, the Constitution and its principles must be the cornerstone of our community. Any society that has tried to become homogeneous has eventually experienced stagnation and decline. Students can read all the details related to UPSC by visiting the official website of StudyIQ  UPSC Online Coaching.

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Diversity of India FAQs

Why india is called diversity.

India is called the 'land of diversity' because India have various types of food, speak different languages, celebrate different festivals, and practice different religions and traditions.

How many parts of diversity are there in India?

Modern India stands as one of the most diverse countries in the world, a subcontinent that is home to over 100 languages, over 700 different tribes.

What is diversity definition?

It means collective differences, that is, differences which mark off one group of people from another.

What is the main cause of diversity in India?

There are various reasons but the following are considered as the major reasons for diversity in India: geography of India, which includes the plains, the plateaus, the deserts, the mountains, etc.

What is the concept of diversity?

Diversity means having a range of people with various racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds and various lifestyles, experience, and interests.

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When Women Return to ⁠Work—Diversity Hiring in India

To enhance the success of its internal diversity hiring efforts, a financial services provider partnered with Acara Solutions India to fill IT-related roles with one specific caveat: all job candidates had to be women returning to the workplace. Upon conclusion of the recruiting project, our team fulfilled our client’s request with maximum efficiency.

The Situation

The solution.

The client is a global leader in asset management, investment banking, technology, and operations. Some of the client’s responsibilities include:

• Mutual fund and wealth management
• Brokerage firm operations
• Fund distribution and investment advice

While the client is globally headquartered in the United States, it has an office in India with more than 5,000 employees.

Our History

Acara started working with the client in 2011. Since then, Acara has closed more than 600 positions for the client, including direct placement, executive hiring, and more than 60 leadership positions.

An international financial company needed to fill many IT-related positions—but with a very specific caveat: all job candidates had to be women returning to the workforce after an absence of at least six months. Further, they needed to have excellent technical and communication skills, plus two to 19 years of experience in IT.

The Challenge

The limitations of the diversity hiring requirements made job recruitment difficult. Challenges included:

• Sourcing profiles from an inactive talent pool
• Targeting passive candidates
• Competing with the client’s pre-existing vender
• Preventing no-shows during the interview process

To meet the client’s very specific requirements, our team identified active profiles, regenerated active profiles, opened lines of communication, and reduced no-shows on interview day. Our objectives were to:

• Market map active profiles in our databases and on job boards
• Dig up several leads and referrals from active profiles
• Develop ad campaigns on LinkedIn and Facebook
• Post job openings on several online job portals
• Distribute mass emails and text messages
• Create WhatsApp groups as a resource for candidates
• Track the status of every candidate
• Devise a follow-up plan with multiple touchpoints

The Conclusion

Our programme generated the following results:

• 81% interview attendance rate
• 73% of the client’s candidates sourced by Acara
• 100% closer relationship between client and Acara

Our team saw every challenge as an opportunity to share success. Ultimately, we provided high-quality candidates that fulfilled our client’s diversity hiring requirements with maximum efficiency.

Program Results

Experience the acara difference., see what's trending at acara, addressing the skills gap in india’s workforce.

As the world of technology continues to automate and accelerate, candidates with in-demand abilities are becoming harder and harder to find. So how can Indian companies keep pace with growing business demands—even with such a dearth of qualified talent?

How Indian Companies Can Bring Women Back to the Workforce

Organizations across the country are deploying targeted programs to entice females back to the workforce. Here are some of the most successful strategies to provide job opportunities for women.

5 Strategies for Gender Inclusion and Diversity Hiring in India

What are the advantages to gender diversity hiring strategies—and how are organizations finding ways to provide greater opportunities for women in the workforce? Here are some tips for your organization to foster a more inclusive and equitable workplace environment.

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Home » Society » Salient features of Indian Society » Features of Indian Society » Diversity in India

India is a plural society both in letter and spirit. It is rightly characterized by its unity and diversity. A grand synthesis of cultures, religions and languages of the people belonging to different castes and communities has upheld its unity and cohesiveness despite multiple foreign invasions.

National unity and integrity have been maintained even through sharp economic and social inequalities have obstructed the emergence of egalitarian social relations. It is this synthesis which has made India a unique mosque of cultures. Thus, India present seemingly multicultural situation within in the framework of a single integrated cultural whole.

The term ‘diversity’ emphasizes differences rather than inequalities. It means collective differences, that is, differences which mark off one group of people from another. These differences may be of any sort: biological, religious, linguistic etc. Thus, diversity means variety of races, of religions, of languages, of castes and of cultures.

Unity means integration. It is a social psychological condition. It connotes a sense of one- ness, a sense of we-ness. It stands for the bonds, which hold the members of a society together.

Unity in diversity essentially means “unity without uniformity” and “diversity without fragmentation”. It is based on the notion that diversity enriches human interaction.

When we say that India is a nation of great cultural diversity, we mean that there are many different types of social groups and communities living here. These are communities defined by cultural markers such as language, religion, sect, race or caste.

Various forms of diversity in India:

• Religious diversity: India is a land of multiple religions. Apart from the tribal societies, many of whom still live in the pre-religious state of animism and magic, the Indian

population consists of the Hindus (82.41%), Muslims (11.6%), Christians (2.32%), Sikhs (1.99%), Buddhists (0.77%) and Jains (0.41%). The Hindus themselves are divided into several sects such as Vaishnavas, Shaivates, Shaktas, Smartas etc. Similarly, the Muslims are divided into sects such as Shias, Sunnis, Ahmadiyas etc.

• Linguistic diversity: Languages spoken in India belong to several language families, the major ones being the Indo-Aryan languages spoken by 75% of Indians and the Dravidian languages spoken by 20% of Indians. Other languages belong to the Austroasiatic, Sino- Tibetan, Tai-Kadai, and a few other minor language families and isolates. India has the world’s second highest number of languages, after Papua New
• Racial diversity: 1931 census classified India’s racial diversity in the following groups- The Negrito, The Proto-Australoid, The Mongoloid, The Mediterranean, The Western Brachycephals and the Nordic. Representatives of all the three major races of the world, namely Caucasoid, Mongoloid, and Negroid, are found in the
• Caste diversity: India is a country of The term caste has been used to refer to both varna as well as jati. Varna is the four-fold division of society according to functional differentiation. Thus, the four varnas include Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras and an outcaste group. Whereas Jati refers to a hereditary endogamous status group practicing a specific traditional occupation.. There are more than 3000 jatis and there is no one all India system of ranking them in order and status. The jati system is not static and there is mobility in the system, through which jatis have changed their position over years. This system of upward mobility has been termed as “Sanskritization” by M. N. Srinivas.
• Cultural diversity: Cultural patterns reflect regional variations. Because of population diversity, there is immense variety in Indian culture as it is a blend of various cultures. Different religion, castes, regions follow their own tradition and culture. Thus, there is variation in art, architecture, dance forms, theatre forms, music
• Geographical diversity: Spanning across an area of 3.28 million square kilometre, India is a vast country with great diversity of physical features like dry deserts, evergreen forests, lofty mountains, perennial and non-perennial river systems, long coasts and fertile plains.

In addition to the above described major forms of diversity, India also has diversity of many other types like that of settlement patterns – tribal, rural, urban; marriage and kinship patterns along religious and regional lines and so on.

Factors Leading to Unity amidst Diversity in India:

• Constitutional identity: The entire country is governed by one single Even, most of the states follow a generalised scheme of 3-tier government structure, thus imparting uniformity in national governance framework. Further, the Constitution guarantees certain fundamental rights to all citizens regardless of their age, gender, class, caste, religion, etc.
• Religious co-existence: Religion tolerance is the unique feature of religions in India due to which multiple religions co-exist in Freedom of religion and religious practice is guaranteed by the Constitution itself. Moreover, there is no state religion and all religions are given equal preference by the state.
• Inter-State mobility: The Constitution guarantees freedom to move throughout the territory of India under Article 19 (1) (d), thus promoting a sense of unity and brotherhood among the
• Other factors such as uniform pattern of law, penal code, and administrative works (eg. All India services) too lead to uniformity in the criminal justice system, policy implementation
• Economic integration:    The      Constitution    of India secures the freedom of Trade, Commerce and Intercourse within the Territory of India under Article Further, the Goods and Service Tax (GST) have paved way for ‘one country, one tax, one national market’, thus facilitating unity among different regions.
• Institution of pilgrimage and religious practices: In India, religion and spirituality have great significance. . From Badrinath and Kedarnath in the north to Rameshwaram in the south, Jagannath Puri in the east to Dwaraka in the west the religious shrines and holy rivers are spread throughout the length and breadth of the Closely related to them is the age-old culture of pilgrimage, which has always moved people to various parts of the country and fostered in them a sense of geo-cultural unity.
• Fairs and festivals: They also act as integrating factors as people from all parts of the country celebrate them as per their own local Eg. Diwali is celebrated throughout by Hindus in the country, similarly Id and Christmas are celebrated by Muslims and Christians, respectively. Celebration of inter-religious festivals is also seen in India.
• Climatic integration via monsoon: The flora and fauna in the entire Indian subcontinent, agricultural practices, life of people, including their festivities revolve around the monsoon season in
• Sports and Cinema: These are followed by millions in the country, thus, acting as a binding force across the length and breadth of

Factors that threaten India’s unity:

• Regionalism: Regionalism tends to highlight interests of a particular region/regions over national interests. It can also adversely impact national integration. Law and order situation is hampered due to regional demands and ensuing
• Divisive politics: Sometimes, ascriptive identities such as caste, religion etc. are evoked by politicians in order to garner This type of divisive politics can result in violence, feeling of mistrust and suspicion among minorities.
• Development imbalance: Uneven pattern of socio-economic development, inadequate economic policies and consequent economic disparities can lead to backwardness of a region. Consequently, this can result in violence, kickstart waves of migration and even accelerate demands of separatism.. For instance, due to economic backwardness of the North East region, several instances of separatist demands and secessionist tendencies have sprung up in the
• Ethnic differentiation and nativism: Ethnic differentiation has often led to clashes between different ethnic groups especially due to factors such as job competition, limited resources, threat to identity E.g. frequent clashes between Bodos and Bengali speaking Muslims in Assam. This has been accentuated by son of the soil doctrine, which ties people to their place of birth and confers some benefits, rights, roles and responsibilities on them, which may not apply to others.
• Geographical isolation: Geographical isolation too can lead to identity issues and separatist The North-East is geographically isolated from the rest of the country as it is connected with the rest of the country by a narrow corridor i.e the Siliguri corridor (Chicken’s neck). The region has inadequate infrastructure, is more backward economically as compared to the rest of the country. As a result, ithas witnessed several instances of separatism and cross-border terrorism, among others.
• Inter-religious conflicts: Inter-religious conflicts not only hamper relations between two communities by spreading fear and mistrust but also hinder the secular fabric of the country.
• Inter-state conflicts: This can lead emergence of feelings related to regionalism. It can also affect trade and communications between conflicting states. For instance, Cauvery River dispute between Karnataka and Tamil
• Influence of external factors: Sometimes external factors such as foreign organizations terrorist groups, extremist groups can incite violence and sow feelings of separatism. g. Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has been accused of supporting and training mujahideen to fight in Jammu and Kashmir and sow separatist tendencies among resident groups.

In-spite of the challenges posed by diversity, there can be no doubt on the role played by socio-cultural diversity in sustaining and developing Indian society.

Problem is not of diversity per se, but the handling of diversity in India society. The problems of regionalism, communalism, ethnic conflicts etc. have arisen because the fruits of development haven’t been distributed equally or the cultures of some groups haven’t been accorded due recognition.

Conclusion:

Hence, Constitution and its values must form guiding principles of our society. Any society which has tried to homogenize itself, has witnessed stagnation in due-course and ultimately decline. The most important example is this case is of Pakistan which tried to impose culture on East-Pakistan ultimately leading to creation of Bangladesh.

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Shedding Light on Healthcare Algorithmic and Artificial Intelligence Bias

Impact of artificial intelligence in contemporary medicine.

When people go to a medical facility for help, they expect the doctor to make appropriate health decisions for their optimal health and outcome.

Doctors and other health care providers are increasingly using healthcare algorithms (a computation, often based on statistical or mathematical models, that helps medical practitioners make diagnoses and decisions for treatments) and  artificial intelligence (AI) , to diagnose patient illnesses, suggest treatments, predict health risks, and more. In some cases, this is fine. However, using healthcare algorithms and AI can sometimes worsen things for people from certain ethnic or racial groups. This is because algorithms and AI are based on data from one set of the population that may not work well for others.

Awareness of Bias

Healthcare algorithms and AI bias can contribute to existing health disparities for certain populations based on race, ethnicity, gender, age, or other demographic factors.

One reason for healthcare algorithm and AI bias is the lack of diversity in the data used to train computer programs. It is important to use data from patients with diverse demographic factors when creating AI computer programs to ensure the algorithm works well for everyone.

Another way bias can enter healthcare algorithms and AI is through the assumptions made by the people who create them. For example, if developers assume that some symptoms are more common in non-Hispanic White women than in Black/African American women. This can lead to algorithms producing unfair or inaccurate results for Black/African American women with those symptoms.

A Case Study

If a woman has had a cesarean delivery, also known as a C-section, there is a chance that a subsequent delivery can be attempted through a vaginal birth, which is known as Vaginal Birth after Cesarean Delivery or VBAC. However, there are known risks associated with attempting VBAC, such as uterine rupture or other complications.In 2007, the VBAC algorithm was designed to help healthcare providers assess the likelihood of safely giving birth through vaginal delivery. The algorithm considers many things, such as the woman's age, the reason for the previous C-section, and how long ago it happened. However, in 2017, in a study by Vyas, et al., researchers found the original algorithm was not correct. It predicted that Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino women were less likely to have a successful vaginal birth after a C-section than non-Hispanic White women. This caused doctors to perform more C-sections on Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino women than on White women.

After years of work by researchers, advocates, and clinicians, changes were made to the algorithm. The new version of the algorithm no longer considers race or ethnicity when predicting the risk of complications from VBAC. This means that doctors can make decisions based on more accurate and impartial information that works for all women, providing more equitable care regardless of race or ethnicity. To access more information about this case study, visit:  Challenging the Use of Race in the Vaginal Birth after Cesarean Section Calculator .

The Treatment Plan for Bias

There are best practices that healthcare data scientists and developers can incorporate to address the challenges of using algorithms and AI. These include:

• Have a more diverse body of people review and supervise the algorithms and AI.
• Use methods or techniques to best manage situations where there is not enough information available, like using synthetic data.
• Work with diverse communities to ensure the algorithms are helpful and don't cause harm.
• Introduce the algorithms gradually and carefully instead of all at once.
• Create ways for people to provide feedback and improve the algorithms over time.
• Involve diverse members of your workforce in developing the algorithms and validating patient data from various racial and ethnic backgrounds.

The Office of Minority Health (OMH) is focused on helping to reduce differences in health outcomes, known as health disparities, for racial and ethnic minority populations and American Indian and Alaska Native communities. By encouraging equity in the lifecycle of algorithms and AI, OMH and other federal agencies aim to lower the risk of bias and improve healthcare outcomes for everyone.

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The Business Case for Gender Diversity in the Indian Information Technology Industry

• First Online: 29 March 2019

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• Shreyashi Chakraborty 3  

Part of the book series: Palgrave Explorations in Workplace Stigma ((PAEWS))

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For attracting, motivating and retaining their female workforce, organisations in India have been utilising the discourse on the business case for gender diversity to adopt various women-friendly initiatives. The non-existent regulatory environment provides a unique opportunity to explore what the discourse on the business case for gender diversity constitutes in the Indian context. However, it remains unclear whether the business case for diversity is effective in improving the status of women employees in Indian workplaces. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with top management representatives across 31 different organisations in the Indian information technology industry. Thematic analysis revealed that organisations value gender diversity owing to the different leadership styles, and higher commitment and productivity levels of the female employees. It emerged that leaders are using stereotypes associated with women while delineating the business case for gender diversity. However, they are inadvertently denying women equal opportunities for growth and treating them unequally as the merit definitions continue to uphold masculine attributes, and this chapter shows that hidden inequalities continue to persist in a gender-neutral industry.

• Gender inequality
• Management bias
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Chakraborty, S. (2019). The Business Case for Gender Diversity in the Indian Information Technology Industry. In: Nachmias, S., Caven, V. (eds) Inequality and Organizational Practice. Palgrave Explorations in Workplace Stigma. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11644-6_10

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