~ The second edition of India Included on Campus, a DEI-focused case study competition by Godrej DEI Lab, trains its lens on women’s returnship programmes in corporate India ~
~ The winning team will win a cash prize of INR 1 lakh ~
Bhubaneswar: Godrej DEI Lab, the diversity, equity, and inclusion arm of the Godrej Industries Group, has brought back India Included on Campus, a unique DEI-focused case study competition, for its second edition. Expanding the competition to eight of India’s leading management institutes, including Indian School of Business and IIT Bombay, the second edition brought the contest to Xavier Institute of Management (XIM) Bhubaneswar on 27th August 2026. This year’s case study challenge focuses on women’s returnship programmes, inviting students to develop practical solutions to help women return to the workforce after a career break for marriage, motherhood, or caregiving responsibilities.
A recent study, “The Missing Half,” (2026), found that 74% of educated women in India have taken a career break at some point in their careers. Yet, structured pathways for experienced women to re-enter the workforce remain limited, making returnships an increasingly important part of the talent conversation for organisations. The unique DEI-focused case study challenge aims to encourage students to look at how organisations can create pathways that support women through different stages of their careers, and broadly work on an approach to building diverse workplaces.
Parmesh Shahani, Head, Godrej DEI Lab and author of Queeristan, said: “We cannot talk about women’s participation in the workforce without addressing what happens when careers take a different path. Whether due to motherhood, caregiving responsibilities, or other life transitions, a career break should not become a barrier to meaningful employment. At Godrej Industries, we are rethinking how returnship programmes can better support women re-entering the workforce, through initiatives such as our research collaboration with CEDA at Ashoka University and broader efforts to create pathways that enable women to return with confidence and purpose. India Included on Campus is another important step in that journey. It gives young minds an opportunity to engage with a real workforce challenge, contribute fresh perspectives, and help shape more inclusive workplaces for the future.
India Included on Campus Season 1, which was launched in 2025, had students from IIM Trichy, IIM Lucknow, IIM Mumbai, and SIBM Pune working on women’s inclusion and attrition in the workplace. Building on the inaugural edition, Season 2 expands the initiative to a wider group of management students, with the challenge focusing on how organisations can rethink career continuity for women.
The winning team will receive a cash prize of INR 1,00,000, while finalists will get an opportunity to interact with senior Godrej leadership.
