In & Equal - Towards an Inclusive India Inc.

About In & Equal

We are aiming to create a research repository that documents and addresses discriminatory practices on the lines of caste and religion, collates resources for advocacy and action towards more diversity, inclusion and equity (DEI) in workplaces. We hope this work contextualises DEI policies to workplaces in India and propels informed conversations on DEI practices in Corporate India; especially at a time when there is a backlash against DEI in its place of origin, i.e. United States of America.

Why are we doing this?

Scope of Research

We are confining the scope of this research to caste and religion in particular because we noticed how these two axes of discrimination remained poorly articulated in the DEI framework, even in India. We look into the reasons why it is so and how the lack of such an articulation has enabled the dynamic persistence of caste, particularly in the organised private sector in India.

Terminology

We realise how terms such as Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Caste, Discrimination, Harassment, are understood in a wide rage of ways. It is therefore necessary to root these terms in their historical context, trace their evolution and re-contextualize them in light of existing socio-legal research across jurisdictions.

Taxonomy of Definitions

Context

Why are we focusing on Caste & Religion in Particular?

Work is a means to live a transformative life—a way of transcending oneself and one's circumstances by realising one's potential. However, caste norms deeply embedded in our Indian culture have historically thwarted this process through a combined means of aggression and exploitation.

The Constitution of India brought some respite by mandating affirmative action in public sector employment to ensure that socially and economically backward classes (especially Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) are given equality in opportunity and status to uplift themselves. However, increasing privatisation has drastically reduced the employment opportunities for these marginalised communities in the formal sector which comprises of about 10% of the economy and includes some labour protection, stability and accountability. Data shows that generally Dalits, Adivasis and Bahujans communities are poorly represented in this segment of the economy. There is also sufficient evidence that indicates that muslims are increasingly denied opportunities on account of the rising tide of islamophobia (Thorat).

It is in this context that we have undertaken to study the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) landscape in India. An overview of the existing DEI policies reveal the resistance of the corporate sector to address caste based exclusion.

The Deccan Herald has reported that "an RTI filed by Sarah Khan which accessed this data revealed that out of 17,788 member companies, only 19% had adopted the 'voluntary code of conduct for affirmative action', highlighting the reluctance of the private sector tò level the playing field with regard to caste. Affirmative action policies have not yet filtered into the corporate sector. The research done by D Ajit, Han Donker and Ravi Saxena of the University of Northern British Columbia, Canada, profiled board members of the top 1,000 private and state-owned Indian firms. They found that an overwhelming 93% of the board members belonged to the forward castes. OBCs accounted for just 3.8% of the directors, while SCs and STs accounted for only 3.5% of the directors."

There is an urgent need to address caste & religion in the organised private sector, through anti-discrimination/equal opportunity policies. Workplace diversity and inclusion enables prosperity in the long-run. As the work by Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James Robinson that won the Nobel Prize in economics in 2024 affirms "institutions – the formal and informal rules that govern the functioning of societies – play a critical role in shaping economic growth. Inclusive institutions, which encourage broad participation in economic and political activities, protect property rights, promote equal opportunities and uphold the rule of law, are essential for long-term prosperity."

WHAT IS THIS FOR ?

The object and purpose of this project is to persuade corporate governance leadership and DEI professionals to take informed decisions to improve the diversity, equity and inclusivity on the lines of caste and religion on both a business case as well as human rights grounds.

Definitions

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion ("DEI")

An overview of the historical roots of DEI framework, its meaning and relevance in India

What is DEI

Caste

An overview of the caste system in India

What is caste?

Discrimination

Discrimination is any treatment (direct or indirect) which is arbitrary and has the effect of marginalising, excluding or a person in a workplace on account of their (express/implicit) identity.

What is discrimination?

Harassment

Harassment is any behaviour which is intended to demean, humiliate or intimidate a person.

What is Harassment?

Scope & Methodology

We started this research project by undertaking a literature review of how DEI Framework in India. Only to realise that most Indian companies that do practice DEI tend to neglect caste or religion as dimensions of discrimination or harassment. Our understanding is that this may be due to the invisible nature of the ground of discrimination (eg. caste) or more explicit prejudice.

We also understand DEI framework to have emerged in a context which considered more visible grounds of discrimination (race, gender, etc). Therefore has to be re-imagined to be rendered effective in the Indian context whereby grounds of discrimination/harassment may not be very apparent.

We have conducted preliminary unstructured interviews with expert professionals who work on DEI policies, workshops and anti-discrimination laws broadly to fine-tune the scope and methodology which has helped us limit the scope of our inquiry to the following research questions:

What are the different ways in which caste & religious identity propels or thwarts a person's career growth in the private organised sector (i.e., corporates)?
What are the ways we can design DEI policies to address these issue to create a more equitable and inclusive workplaces?

We aim to conduct semi-structured interviews of about 20-25 respondents who have been or are corporate employees for at least 3-5 years to gauge qualitative inputs from their experiences and observations on how their caste has promoted or hindered their careers.

Based on these semi-structured interviews we will formulate a questionnaire for structured interviews of about 100 respondents to test the findings from the qualitative research to see if the problem is generalised.

Empowering Research for Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity in India