Applicants providing incorrect tenures of past employments remain the single largest reason for employment-related discrepancies

First Advantage, a global risk mitigation and business solutions provider recently announced the release of its "Background Screening Trends—India Report" for the third quarter of 2011, which shows an increase in the overall discrepancy rates. The report is based on pre-employment background checks conducted by First Advantage between July and September 2011.

Significant observations:

• Overall discrepancy rate increased to 11 per cent in Q3-11 compared to 9.6 per cent in Q2-11;
• For the apprentice/trainee/intern level, the discrepancy rate increased marginally to three per cent in Q3-11 compared to two per cent in Q2-11. The discrepancy rates for middle-level employees continues to be around 21 per cent;
• The highest rate of increase in discrepancies was recorded in the education sector (from 26.67 per cent in Q2-11 to 33.33 per cent in Q3-11);
• Education-related discrepancies have increased to five per cent in Q3-11, the highest in the past six quarters;
• In the Eastern zone of India, cases of false or illegitimate education documents submission have been the highest in the past four quarters at 18 per cent.
• With the exception of Travel & Hospitality, Real Estate Services and Manufacturing sector companies, education related discrepancies have increased in Q3-11 (over the previous quarter) for all other industries.
• New Delhi, Meerut continue to be in the top three cities with the most education related discrepancies in Q3- 11, based on the locations of the educational institutions
• 65 per cent of all discrepancies observed in Q3-11 involved associate level employees. For the apprentice/trainee/intern level, the discrepancy rate increased marginally to 3 per cent in Q3-11 compared to 2 per cent in Q2-11. The discrepancy rates for middle-level employees continues to be around 21 per cent.