The Prevalence of Implicit and Explicit Bias in Financial Companies in India

The nature of implicit bias is such that it is more difficult to eradicate. Therefore, it is also difficult to test for implicit bias as it is not something that can be found through direct surveys. This study determines whether companies in India display implicit biases in their hiring practices through indirect methods of soliciting data. By submitting resumes with names that correlate with certain genders of religions, the normal hiring process was observed. Due to the smaller sample size, significant results were not found to corroborate implicit bias. The paper also addresses current legislation in India regarding discrimination and promotion of minority groups. However explicit bias was found due to Indian laws that fail to prohibit private companies from discriminating based on gender. Through analysis of the causes of implicit bias, this paper also offers solutions for companies to minimize the effects of implicit bias on the individual and institution level.