asked Her Majesty's Government:

What guidelines they give to Department for International Development staff and human resources managers in India on caste-based discrimination; and how they ensure that there is no discrimination against Dalits in their employment policy.[HL7753]

DfID India is committed to supporting the Government of India in their efforts to combat caste discrimination and social exclusion in all its forms through our development support. DfID India's employment policies seek actively to encourage applications from a wide range of applicants, and DfID India promotes diversity and social inclusion in all of its employment practices in line with DfID's people strategy.

Job advertisements for opportunities in DfID India, and selection processes, include clear diversity messages to promote DfID India's interest in reaching out to marginalised groups including Dalits. With the objective of attracting applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds, job vacancies are now widely publicised through national daily newspapers, Indian employment agencies, organisations and advocacy groups working to address discrimination. As part of this process, specific instructions are given to recruitment agencies working with DfID India in relation to marginalised groups including Dalits.