Campuses check staff history

An increasing number of elite city schools and colleges are getting background checks done on their teaching and non-teaching staff, following a rash of sexual harassment complaints against the staff at some schools in the city.

An increasing number of elite city schools and colleges are getting background checks done on their teaching and non-teaching staff, following a rash of sexual harassment complaints against the staff at some schools in the city.

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Members of the emerging screening industry in Mumbai said most of their clients come from the city’s international schools and other upper-end institutions that take in children of high profile individuals.

The trend is being fuelled by an increasing number of educational institutes wary of what the adverse publicity from a sexual harassment charge could do to their reputations, and of course, their admissions.

“As a trend, background checks at educational institutes have just started in the city, but it’s catching on,” said Ashish Dehade, managing director (West Asia) at First Advantage, one of the background check agencies in the city.

Dehade explained that typical teaching staff at an educational institute would include professors and teachers, while non-teaching staff would include lab assistants, drivers, peons and cleaners.

A typical background check includes enquiries into the subject’s academic qualification, past work experience, references, criminal record, if any, and his or her lifestyle habits, the experts said.