Background Verification in India: Meaning, Types and how it Works

Background verification in India is a procedure through which an organization verifies all the data an applicant has submitted throughout the interview process, including their credentials, professional experience, and personal information. After what we thought was a successful interview, we experienced the situation when we patiently awaited word from the employer. The organization would certainly be checking the details you included in your resume while you were waiting. You may be wondering why they are taking so long when you have nothing to conceal. Or, if you believe that background verification conducted by businesses is way over the top, acquire this. Last year, three in ten Indian job applicants lied about their degrees and work history on their resumes. Their fake CV included everything, from fake degrees from unidentified leading institutions to certificate courses disguised as full-time programs. That’s why it’s not at all overdone. We shall discuss every aspect of background verification in India in this article. So let’s get down to business.

What Is Background Verification In India?

The process of confirming the accuracy of the data on a candidate’s CV or job application is known as background verification. This procedure usually entails checking the applicant’s credentials, work history, plus recommendations. Moreover, a credit report or a criminal history check may be part of it. In order to remain competitive that’s one of the top employment trends for businesses. Background verification in India was primarily implemented to address a company’s future, regulatory, and data security controls. Background checks on potential employees are now essential to the employment^[1] process.

It seems like background verification in India is getting stronger over time. With the use of technology, employers are thoroughly verifying employees and adding additional components. Background Verification in India enables your business organizations to make informed recruiting decisions that, over the course of time, can save your organization both money and time. It is simple to obtain the information required to make informed recruiting decisions due to the number of options available to you. Simply put, doing background verification on potential hires is crucial to ensuring that they blend well with your company’s culture.

Types 

There are various types of background verification in India that can assist an organization in eliminating applicants who cannot meet the demands, culture, and, most importantly, ethics of the organization. We have enumerated a few of the most common sorts of background checks that can save both money and time in the long run while also minimizing certain legal and non-legal hazards.

• Identity Verification: Identity verification is the best option if a business is using background checks to confirm applicants’ identities or claims about who they are. Identity theft has evolved into a common activity among those who are in desperate need of employment. However, if a candidate is posing as someone else to apply for a job, the employer must be aware of this since it can benefit both the employer and the employee in the long term. You will require some personal information for identity verification, including your name, address, Aadhar card number, and birth date. An individual’s identity can be easily determined using these details. 

• Employment Verification: The prior work experience of a prospective employee is taken into consideration when hiring a candidate for some positions which call for a specific number of years of experience. Nevertheless, candidates occasionally end up lying about their careers and job skills in an effort to make a favourable impression on the employer. You shouldn’t hire someone with one year or less experience if a particular position calls for a candidate with two or three years of experience. Even worse, you don’t want to employ someone with zero expertise. Hiring someone without the necessary experience can seriously harm the organization. It is especially true in professions requiring a specific set of abilities and knowledge, yet lying can result in serious workplace mishaps and injuries, endangering both clients and other employees. Because of this, employment verification becomes necessary. This type of background investigation involves contacting the applicant’s former employer or any references listed on their resume. Through this, the organization is able to assess the candidate’s potential as an employee, including both their strengths and their weaknesses. 

• Education Verification: Some jobs demand a specific degree and set of educational credentials, much like employment verification. With the use of educational verification, an employer is able to learn all there is to know about a candidate’s educational background. You should verify government records and documents for this verification, such as graduation certificates from high school, bachelor’s and master’s degrees, or other certificates needing education. Verification is essential since candidates frequently lie about their education to obtain an advantage. Requesting to examine the pertinent material is not sufficient in and of itself. It is simple to find fake diplomas, and some of them can even pass for real ones. You can only know for sure that your potential employee meets the requirements for the position by using an extensive background verification service. 

• Criminal History Check: The most important step of background verification in India is the criminal background check. Understanding a candidate’s criminal history is crucial, especially if the position requires frequent contact with vulnerable individuals or financial management. The employer searches misdemeanours, convictions, and arrests at the local and state levels as part of this verification process. Acquitted and dropped charges are also included in the process. The most thorough criminal background checks are often required for jobs in education, health care, government, and finance. 

• Reference Check:  References provide you with first-hand knowledge of how a potential employee behaves in a work environment. The verification method you use will determine how valuable they are. It could be challenging to ask the correct questions to get the most information if you conduct a reference check yourself. Reference checks are handled expertly by background screening agencies. Let them figure out who your candidate is. 

Types of Questions Asked During Background Verification in India

The effectiveness of the employment verification process is crucial to finding the right people, and it has a big impact on the hiring process. At the hiring stage, over fifty per cent of candidates give false information. As a result, the significance of verification questions and responses is crucial. You risk inviting undesired difficulties for your company if you don’t ask the proper questions during the employee background research interview. Let’s examine seven often-asked questions and their responses to assist you in making better informed hiring decisions.  

Question 1: What were the beginning and ending dates of his or her previous employment? And why did they quit working there?

This question will confirm the employment history listed on the applicant’s résumé and the explanation given for leaving the applicant’s former employer, giving you a better idea of whether the applicant would be a pleasing fit for the new position.

Question 2: What duties did their position entail? Can you explain their behaviour or way of working?

Asking this question can help you comprehend the candidate’s preferred working style as well as validate any information you already know about them, supposing the reference used to be the candidate’s manager or supervisor.

Question 3: What were their beginning and ending salaries? Did they earn a pay raise or a promotion?

This question is crucial since it not only helps you determine the candidate’s compensation offer but also confirms the previous pay the candidate earned. You can also get an idea of the candidate’s past success from it. Knowing the size of the wage adjustment can help you avoid giving your candidate an excessively high value.

Question 4: Would you like to share anything else about yourself with us?

Sometimes, aspects of the candidates may come up in your chosen field of questioning yet may still be important to their chance of employment with you. By asking them about it, you give them the opportunity to inform you before learning about it from another source.

Question 5: Do you perform better working alone or in a group?

The majority of employers favour candidates who work well in a team. However, it also depends on the position. Ask this question to determine whether the candidate prefers to work independently or as a team, and then compare the answer to the job criteria.

Question 6: What are the candidate’s strong and weak points, in your opinion? Were there any aspects that needed improvement during his or her performance assessment?

Give the reference a chance to emphasize some of the good qualities the individual holds or some of the areas in which the candidate’s past performance could be improved, in addition to validating the facts on the candidate’s résumé.

Question 7: If you had the chance, would you rehire the applicant?

It is a fascinating question because it will surely assist you in determining your most important finding, whether or not to hire the applicant.

Can An Employer Reject You On the Basis Of Background Verification In India?

According to your background or during the background verification in India, an employer has the authority to reject you. However, in order to do so, the employer must be fully aware of all the legal prohibitions against hiring candidates who have violated certain background check standards. A written notice of disciplinary action must also be given by the employer, which clarifies that the person applying was unable to pass the background check and is consequently not eligible to work for the organization.

As we all know, giving inaccurate information on your resume—whether it be on your degree or your career history—is the primary cause of background verification failing. You might not be given the job offer if the information on your CV and the information discovered via background checks don’t match. Nowadays, it is difficult to deceive employers because the HR department is evolving and now uses a variety of resources to conduct background checks. As a job applicant, you might occasionally cite incorrect experience or education information to conceal gaps in your career history. Even though you are employed, these fake details put you in risky situations later on. If you are looking for candidate verification services, connect with a recruitment consulting firm. 

Process 

Background verification in India confirms an applicant’s identity by searching legal documents, banking records, or open-source databases using data from their Aadhar card number and date of birth. Additionally, manual contact may be established with former employers, professional associations, or educational institutions. These searches are typically carried out by human resources professional utilizing software like a human resources information system, a consumer reporting agency, or a background check company. It’s crucial to research the minimum requirements in order to minimize legal dangers because the state legislation have tight regulations regarding background checks.

The time to run background verification in India is typically when you’re ready to extend an offer, but some employers will run an investigation on many applicants to help them make hiring decisions. To achieve compliance, the following four actions should be followed:

• Pre-employment screening must be disclosed to candidates as a requirement of an offer.
• Approval: The candidate must give written approval and be informed of their FCRA rights as well as the name of the company doing the check.
• Investigation: After receiving the candidate’s agreement and appropriate personal information, the report is put together utilizing pertinent sources.
• Review: You will be given the report to evaluate, which will normally be stamped either “clear” to mean that you may move forward and hire or “consider” to mean that an issue of concern has been detected.

The Final Words 

Background verification in India can be time-consuming but should not be avoided. Every successful business depends on its employees. Each of them significantly contributes to the development and success of the company. This is the reason it is always important to take attention into account when hiring a new employee. When your business decides to acquire a new employee, a significant time, resource, and financial investment is being made. Therefore, it is essential that businesses do personal, academic, financial, and employment-related background checks on candidates before extending an offer letter.

Read our Article:The Sphere of Employment Verification: Everything you should Know