Every credible Indian tech employer runs BGV on new hires. The function isn't paranoid — Indian hiring includes a small but non-trivial rate of credential inflation, parallel employment, and fabricated experience. BGV catches the worst cases inexpensively.
Major Indian BGV vendors
- AuthBridge — largest market share. Comprehensive checks; fast turnaround.
- OnGrid — modern UX, mobile-app-driven verification flow.
- HireRight India — global brand, often used by US / EU multinationals.
- First Advantage — large, well-established.
- Sterling Talent Solutions — global brand, India operations.
- BetterPlace — focus on tier-2 / blue-collar verifications too.
Standard checks performed
- Identity — PAN, Aadhaar (with consent), passport verification.
- Education — degree verification with the university / institution registrar.
- Employment history — last 2-3 employers, dates, role, last drawn salary (where shared).
- Address — current and permanent (often via field visit or postal verification).
- Criminal record — police record check (district-level).
- Database checks — global watchlists, sanctions, civil litigation databases.
- Reference checks — manager-level references (optional).
Cost and timeline
| Package | Per check (INR) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Basic (ID + education + employment) | ₹1,500 - ₹2,500 | 5-7 working days |
| Standard (above + criminal + address) | ₹2,500 - ₹3,500 | 7-10 working days |
| Comprehensive (above + database checks + references) | ₹3,500 - ₹6,000 | 10-15 working days |
BGV coordination bundled with EOR onboarding
FastLegal's EOR onboarding includes BGV coordination via AuthBridge / OnGrid (your choice). Costs passed through at vendor rate; we handle the integration, consent, follow-up. Results visible in your dashboard within the SLA.
Consent and privacy
India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 (DPDP Act) governs personal data collection. For BGV:
- Explicit written consent from the candidate required before running checks.
- Consent form specifies what's being checked and why.
- Candidate has right to access the BGV report and dispute findings.
- Data retention limited to the purpose (typically retained for the duration of employment).
- Cannot run BGV without consent — even after offer signed.
When to run BGV
- After offer signed, before joining date.
- Parallel with joining — start the engineer; BGV runs in 5-10 days; resolve any findings.
- Some companies make offer conditional on BGV pass; most start the engineer and address findings.
- Re-verification at promotion to sensitive roles (finance, treasury, access to PII).
Common findings and how to handle
- Degree college matches but grade differs by 5-10% — usually candidate error; not material.
- Employment dates off by 1-2 months — clarify with the candidate.
- Employment role inflated (Senior Eng when was actually Engineer) — material; discuss seriously.
- Employment dates significantly off (claiming 5 years when actually 3) — usually grounds for offer withdrawal.
- Education degree not earned — material; usually offer withdrawal.
- Criminal record — case-by-case judgment. Minor / dismissed cases often not material; serious / recent is.
Handling a failed BGV
- Share the specific finding with the candidate; allow response.
- Verify with vendor if dispute raised.
- Decide on offer based on materiality and the candidate's explanation.
- If withdrawing offer — document the specific finding; offer withdrawal letter referencing BGV failure.
- Pay any pro-rated salary if engineer had started.
- Maintain documentation in HR file in case of subsequent dispute.
Frequently asked questions
Is BGV legally required?+
No — it's industry practice for credibility and fraud prevention. Banking / financial services may have specific regulatory requirements.
Does the engineer pay for their own BGV?+
No — employer pays. Asking the candidate to pay is poor practice and would deter strong candidates.
What if the BGV vendor can't verify a small / closed company in the candidate's past?+
Common — small Indian companies often don't have responsive HR. Vendor will mark as 'unable to verify'; you decide if that's material given context.
Can we skip BGV for senior referred hires?+
Not recommended — even senior referred candidates sometimes have credential issues. BGV is cheap insurance.
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