7 reasons why educational institutions must focus on background verification

Research shows that the education sector in India has one of the highest rates of fraud, including fake documents & degrees. For the educational industry, this is a risk that cannot be taken!

The most important deciding factor in the entire recruitment process is educational qualifications. It also forms the basis of shortlisting suitable candidates and lining them up for further assessments.

Do all organizations run background screening on their personnel? Not really!

Most HR teams are happy to see impressive educational qualifications and undermine the ability of a candidate to apply with fabricated educational and experiential records.

7 risks posed by not doing appropriate background verification 

Any employee of an educational institute is one of the few people with maximum influence over the developmental stages of a student. Even for the higher standards or college degree, it is absolutely necessary to run educational background verification on all employees within the industry. 

Here are some of the risks that can be averted if all educational institutions carry out background checks:

• Influencing minors with alcohol or drugs
• Conspiracy to compromise on standardized assessments  
• Sexual assault
• Harassment
• Fraud
• Drug ownership/sales
• Kidnapping

Sometimes, the screening process goes beyond simple background verification. For example, is the educational degree held by the potential candidate valid internationally — especially if an institute has international campuses?

Why background screening is pivotal for educational institutions?

Being casual in matters related to children or minors is not a risk that any institute wants to undertake. With advancements in technology, background checks can be carried out scrupulously to make well-informed hiring decisions within the education sector. 

Any academic establishment should ensure that the background verification check includes:

• Criminal records
• Drug abuse
• Motor vehicle records
• Past employment
• Professional and educational degree 
• Address verification 

At IDfy, the team assists institutions in performing such checks efficiently and cost-effectively.

How can background checks benefit educational institutions?

Background screenings should be ideally carried out for all employees in the institution and not just teachers. It should include drivers and non-contact employees who work on a contract basis. 

For academic institutions, background screening should be made obligatory by being thoughtful about the function it serves in developing the younger generation. This can help:

Reduce negligent hiring 

Hiring high-risk employees is a potential threat which means the employer is liable for their employees’ actions. Not digging deep into the qualifications of the potential candidate before hiring can expose an organization to significant liability.

Get quality staff

With quality background scrutiny, one can improve the quality of their hires. For any academic institution, it implies a stress-free hiring process and results in a more efficient onboarding experience.

Safety and protection on & off the premises

Thorough screening of the candidates before hiring substantially reduces the possibility of future workplace violence. One can filter out applicants, who possess a higher risk of engaging in violent activities

Maintaining reputation

At the end of the day, an educational institute is the epitome of respect and repute. One poor hire can ruin years of this reputation. Hence, even if it implies a slight delay, educational background verification should not be compromised.

How IDfy can help

The process of background verification at IDfy is comprehensive yet smooth and accelerated. The team conducts multiple-layer checks including professional License verifications. 

We conduct checks that reveal if the candidate fits the requirements of the educational institution. The team also checks their credential title, current status, and issue and expiration dates.

Alongside the candidate is checked for:

1. Background Verifications
   1. Address Checks
   2. Employment Checks
   3. Education Checks
   4. Criminal Records Checks
   5. Character Checks
2. Digital Onboarding
   1. Document Collections
   2. Bank Account Verification

With IDfy’s solutions, you can get accurate and reliable information about the candidates. We will check all the required records of applicants in a matter of just a few days, driving your onboarding process 3X faster!

You take care of the quality education, let us ensure the safety in hiring candidates!