Board diversity rules under the Companies Act and BRSR disclosures for listed companies have moved diversity and inclusion from a values statement to a reported metric. What gets reported now has to be backed by what managers actually do.
Our D&I course focuses on the everyday moments where inclusion is won or lost: hiring, meetings, feedback and promotion. The articles below cover India's equal opportunity laws and what separates programmes that work from those that do not.
Quick answer
Indian law does not mandate diversity and inclusion training, but it sets equal opportunity duties that training supports: an equal opportunity policy under section 21 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, non-discrimination under the Transgender Persons Act and Code on Wages, woman directors under the Companies Act and SEBI LODR, and BRSR diversity disclosures for the top 1,000 listed companies.
The course
What the law requires
Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016: sections 20 to 23
Section 21(1) of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 requires every establishment to notify an equal opportunity policy detailing the measures it will take under Chapter IV, and section 21(2) requires a copy to be registered with the Chief Commissioner or the State Commissioner. "Establishment" includes both Government and private establishments (section 2(i)), and a private establishment includes a company, firm, society, trust or factory (section 2(v)).
Section 22 requires every establishment to keep records of persons with disabilities relating to employment, facilities provided and other information, open to inspection. Section 20 applies to Government establishments: no discrimination in employment, reasonable accommodation and a barrier-free environment, no denial of promotion merely on the ground of disability, and no dispensing with or reducing in rank an employee who acquires a disability. Section 23 requires Government establishments to appoint a Grievance Redressal Officer.
Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019
Section 3 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 prohibits any person or establishment from discriminating against a transgender person, including unfair treatment in employment and denial of, or termination from, employment. Section 9 covers every matter relating to employment, including recruitment and promotion. Section 10 requires establishments to ensure compliance and provide prescribed facilities, and section 11 requires a designated complaint officer.
The Act was amended by the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026, in force from 25 May 2026 under S.O. 2620(E). Confirm the current consolidated text before relying on its definitions or offence provisions.
Code on Wages, 2019: section 3
Section 3 of the Code on Wages, 2019, in force since 21 November 2025, prohibits discrimination on the ground of gender in wages for the same or similar work, and discrimination on the ground of sex in recruitment and conditions of employment for the same or similar work, except where the law restricts women's employment in that work. It replaces the repealed Equal Remuneration Act, 1976.
Companies Act, 2013 and SEBI LODR: women on the board
The second proviso to section 149(1) of the Companies Act, 2013 requires such class or classes of companies as are prescribed by rules to have at least one woman director.
For listed entities, Regulation 17(1)(a) of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 requires the board to include at least one woman director, and its proviso requires the boards of the top 1,000 listed entities to have at least one independent woman director.
SEBI BRSR: diversity and inclusion disclosures
Under Regulation 34(2)(f) of the LODR Regulations and SEBI's May 2021 circular, the top 1,000 listed companies by market capitalisation must file a Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report from financial year 2022-23. Other listed entities may file voluntarily.
The BRSR format asks for employees and workers, including differently abled staff, by gender (Section A, item 20); the number and percentage of women on the board and among key managerial personnel (item 21); and turnover rates by gender (item 22). Under Principle 3 it asks whether premises are accessible under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, whether the entity has an equal opportunity policy under that Act (with a web link), and return-to-work and retention rates after parental leave by gender. Under Principle 5 it asks for complaints on sexual harassment and discrimination at the workplace, POSH complaints as a percentage of female employees and workers, and mechanisms to prevent adverse consequences for complainants.
Who must be trained and how often
None of these laws requires D&I training or sets a frequency. What they require are policies, records, board composition and disclosures, and those only hold up if the people making hiring, promotion and accommodation decisions apply them. Most organisations therefore train people managers, HR and talent teams in depth and give all staff a foundation module at induction, repeated periodically.
Listed companies often align training with the BRSR cycle so that policy changes, such as an updated equal opportunity policy, reach managers before the reporting year closes. Our D&I course covers the everyday moments, hiring, meetings, feedback and promotion, where these duties are met or missed.
| Audience | Linked legal duty | Common practice |
|---|---|---|
| All employees | RPwD Act s.21 policy; Transgender Act s.3 | Foundation module at induction |
| Hiring managers and recruiters | Code on Wages s.3(2)(ii); Transgender Act s.9 | Structured, bias-aware hiring session |
| People managers | RPwD Act s.20 and s.21; Transgender Act s.9 (promotion) | Scenario-based training on accommodation and promotion decisions |
| HR, ESG and company secretarial teams | RPwD Act s.22 records; LODR Reg. 17 and 34(2)(f) | Briefing on records and BRSR data definitions |
| Board and leadership | Companies Act s.149(1); LODR Reg. 17(1)(a) | Board session on diversity oversight |
Penalties and consequences
Penalties stated in the statutes most closely linked to D&I duties:
| Breach | Provision | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Contravening any provision of the RPwD Act or its rules, such as not notifying an equal opportunity policy | RPwD Act s.89 | First contravention: fine up to ₹10,000. Subsequent: fine of ₹50,000 to ₹5 lakh |
| Intentionally insulting or intimidating a person with disability with intent to humiliate, in public view | RPwD Act s.92(a) | Imprisonment of six months to five years, and fine |
| Offence by a company under the RPwD Act | RPwD Act s.90 | The company and every person in charge of its business at the time are deemed guilty |
| Paying less than the amount due under the Code on Wages | Code on Wages s.54(1)(a) | Fine up to ₹50,000; higher on repeat (s.54(1)(b)) |
| Contravening any other Code on Wages provision, such as sex discrimination in recruitment | Code on Wages s.54(1)(c) | Fine up to ₹20,000; higher on repeat (s.54(1)(d)) |
Transgender Persons Act offence provisions were changed by the 2026 amendment and are not summarised here. Check the current text on India Code.
What good Diversity & Inclusion training covers
- The dimensions of diversity, including gender, disability, age, caste, religion and region
- India's legal framework: RPwD Act, Transgender Persons Act, Code on Wages and board diversity rules
- What your equal opportunity policy says and how to apply it
- Reasonable accommodation: what it means and how to respond to a request
- Inclusive hiring: job descriptions, shortlisting and interview panels
- Fair allocation of work, feedback and promotion decisions
- Recognising exclusionary behaviour and microaggressions, and how to respond
- Respectful language, including disability and gender identity
- How BRSR diversity data is collected and why accuracy matters
- Allyship and how to raise a concern through the right channel
Our courses for this topic
| Course | Audience | Duration | Language | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diversity & Inclusion | All Staff | 50 min | English | SCORM eLearning |
Laws & standards covered
- Companies Act – Board Diversity Requirements
- SEBI LODR – ESG Disclosures
- BRSR Reporting Framework
Who it's for
- All employees
- People managers
- HR and talent teams
- Leadership teams
Guides & insights
Unconscious Bias Training Has a Bad Reputation. Here's What Actually Works.
July 21, 2026 · 8 min read
India's Equal Opportunity Laws Are Older Than Most of Your Managers. And Most Companies Are Still Not Compliant
May 21, 2026 · 8 min read
I've Run D&I Training at Three Companies. Here's Why Most of It Didn't Work.
May 18, 2026 · 8 min read
Frequently asked questions
Does a private company need an equal opportunity policy?
Yes. Section 21 of the RPwD Act applies to "every establishment", which section 2(i) defines to include private establishments. The policy must be notified and a copy registered with the Chief Commissioner or State Commissioner.
Is D&I training mandatory for listed companies?
No regulation mandates it. SEBI requires board diversity under LODR Regulation 17 and diversity disclosures in the BRSR for the top 1,000 listed companies, and training is a common way to make sure the policies behind those disclosures are applied.
Which BRSR indicators does D&I training support?
Mainly the workforce data by gender and disability, women on the board and in key managerial roles, turnover by gender, return-to-work after parental leave, the equal opportunity policy question and complaints on discrimination at the workplace.
Does our equal opportunity policy need to cover transgender employees?
The RPwD Act policy covers persons with disabilities. Separately, the Transgender Persons Act bars employment discrimination against transgender persons and requires a complaint officer, so many employers cover both in one inclusion policy.
How long should D&I training take?
The law does not say. Our D&I course runs about 50 minutes for all staff; managers usually need extra scenario practice on hiring and promotion decisions.
Which Diversity & Inclusion Training courses does Compliance at Workplace offer?
Diversity & Inclusion (50 min, for All Staff).
Which laws and standards does Diversity & Inclusion Training cover?
Companies Act – Board Diversity Requirements; SEBI LODR – ESG Disclosures; BRSR Reporting Framework.
Who should take Diversity & Inclusion Training?
All employees, People managers, HR and talent teams, Leadership teams.
Can the Diversity & Inclusion Training be customised to our organisation?
Yes. Every course can be customised to your policies, branding and industry scenarios, and delivered on your LMS as SCORM or on our Compliance Central platform.
Sources
- Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities: RPwD Act, 2016 and Rules
- Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment: Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 (PDF)
- India Code: Companies Act, 2013
- SEBI: Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015 (as amended to 14 July 2026)
- SEBI: Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report format (Annexure II, July 2023)
- Ministry of Labour and Employment: Code on Wages, 2019 (PDF)
Last updated by the Compliance at Workplace Editorial Team.