Why Academic Inclusion Cannot Wait

India’s higher education sector is at a genuine inflection point. The convergence of policy mandates, global competition, and shifting student demographics means that institutions which embed inclusion today will define the next decade of Indian academia.

Private institutions competing for the same student pool — inclusion is the differentiator
International students projected to study in India by 2030, driven by global realignment
Private institutions competing for the same student pool — inclusion is the differentiator
International students projected to study in India by 2030, driven by global realignment
Learn from and be inspired by DEI best practices
Gain access to an exclusive progress monitoring system to track DEI growth

Landscape & trends

Five forces reshaping Indian higher education

Foreign campuses arrive

Global universities are setting up branches in India. Demonstrating measurable inclusion is now a threshold quality signal — not a differentiator alone.

India in global rankings

QS and THE now factor in diversity and inclusion. Indian institutions climbing the rankings must show evidence, not intent.

Redirection of students

Geopolitical instability in West Asia and tightening immigration policies in the West are redirecting diverse student populations toward India in significant numbers.

Attracting global talent

Faculty and researchers follow inclusive environments. Institutions that cannot demonstrate inclusion will struggle to attract — and retain — the best global minds.

Private sector clutter

With thousands of new private institutions, inclusion has become the clearest signal of institutional quality, safety, and ambition to prospective students.

Attracting global talent

Faculty and researchers follow inclusive environments. Institutions that cannot demonstrate inclusion will struggle to attract — and retain — the best global minds.

Celebrate diversity wins, spotlight inclusive excellence!

Registrations are now open for the 9th edition of Avtar's Best Companies for Women in India (BCWI) study in partnership with Seramount!

Lead the way as one of the Top Inclusive Academic Campuses in India

Top Inclusive Academic Institutions (TIAI)

India’s first dedicated recognition listing for academic inclusion, now open for applications. TIAI is backed by the same rigorous methodology that powers India’s Best Companies for Women and the Most Inclusive Companies Index. Earning the TIAI listing signals to students, employers, and global partners that inclusion is not an aspiration at your institution — it is a practice.

What you get

Avtar certification badge for all communications

Detailed inclusion audit and benchmarking report

Listing shared with corporates, students, and global partners

Positioning as a leader in India's academic inclusion movement

Open to universities, colleges, and vocational institutes

Gain practical tools and techniques to strategize your career

Frequently asked questions

  1. Best Companies for women in India (BCWI)

  2. Most Inclusive Companies Index (MICI)

  3. Best Companies for Workplace Wellness (BCWW)

  4. Best Companeis for ESG (BCESG)

    1. 2025 BCWI will have two tracks: Track 1 is for companies with 500 or more employees.  Track 2 is for companies below 500 employees or Registered MSMEs in Indian operations can also apply to this segment.

    2. Best Companies listing in 2025 will have industry categories – “Best Companies in Consulting”, “Best Companies in IT”, “Best Companies in manufacturing”, “Best Companies in FMCG”, “Best companies in BSFI”, etc. All listings will be alphabetical in nature. The trailblazing Top 10 companies across industries, will be honored as a separate alphabetical list.

Yes – there are separate application forms for Track 1 and 2.

If your company runs operations in India with more than 500 employees, you’re eligible to apply for BCWI – Track 1.

If your company runs operations in India with less than 500 employees, you’re eligible to apply for BCWI – Track 2 (Emerging icons).

If your company runs operations in India with more than 500 employees, you’re eligible to apply for MICI.

BCWI and MICI are not a pay-to-participate exercise. All the participating companies will receive a free scorecard.

Participating in BCWI exposes your company to the industry’s largest inclusion benchmarking platform. You gain access to tools that assess your gender diversity initiatives and allow you to share and learn best practices from other top companies. Your company can get recognized for its efforts in gender diversity and present itself as a gender-inclusive employer.

Participating in MICI helps your company get recognition for its efforts to nurture diversity and inclusion in the workplace. It gets the opportunity to learn and share best practices from peer companies and assess where it stands with DEI benchmarking. Plus, it can feature itself as an equitable and inclusive employer!

Best Companies for ESG (BCESG) aims to recognize organizations that demonstrate exceptional Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices.

BCWW recognizes organizations that demonstrate a strong, intentional commitment to employee wellbeing—not just through programs, but through systems, leadership behaviours, and culture.

To participate in BCWW, the company should register either in BCWI and or MICI.

All the studies involve three simple steps:

Registration: Please click here to register: : https://www.avtarcc.com/enrich/best-companies-for-women-in-india-bcwi/

  • E-signing of COP: The application form will be released after submitting the duly signed Confirmation of Participation (COP).

  • Application submission: The last date to submit the completed application form with all the data is May 31st, 2026

The application includes 300+ questions that cover areas like Workforce Profile, Women’s Recruitment, Retention and Advancement, Safety & Security, Flexible Work, Parental Leave & Benefits, Benefits & Work-Life Programs, and Company culture & Management Accountability.

Yes, policies implemented in the past years can be quoted in your application.

No, all BCWI registrations are online via the stated application form only.

Yes – data will be saved. The ‘Next’ button at the bottom of every page also doubles up as the ‘Save’ button. As you click ‘Next’, all data up until that page is saved and synced with the server.

Not necessarily. You can account a particular program/initiative/practice that has seen a structured execution in your company in the past year

Yes. Please ensure that your responses adhere to the basic business rules on the form. For example, the number of employees across all levels should sum up to the total number of employees.

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