The Indian-origin population in the UK tends to be more educated and less unemployed when compared to other ethnic minorities, according to a new report released today, even as it warned that Britain must tackle the problem of an "entrenched" race divide in the country.
In some cases, Indians out-performed even the white British population with a higher percentage increase in those with degree level qualifications.
"Since 2008, all ethnicities have seen an increase in the proportion with a degree-level qualification, however compared with the increase for white people (5.9 percentage points), Indians saw the largest increase (18.1 percentage points)," says the report by the UK's Equality and Human Rights Commission.
"The lowest unemployment rate was among Indians (9.2 per cent) and the highest among Pakistanis/Bangladeshis (17.3 per cent), African/Caribbean people (15.5 per cent) and mixed ethnic minorities (15.2 per cent)," it said.
The report titled 'Healing a divided Britain: The need for a comprehensive race equality strategy' warned that the UK must tackle the problem of an "entrenched" race divide up and down the country.
"We must redouble our efforts to tackle race inequality urgently or risk the divisions in our society growing and racial tensions increasing," said David Isaac, chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
"If you are black or an ethnic minority in modern Britain, it can often still feel like you are living in a different world, never mind being part of a one nation society," he added.
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Among the key findings of Issac's commission's report, based on existing census data and other evidence, include that black people in Britain are much more likely to be victims of crime and three times more likely to be prosecuted than whites and that ethnic minorities are still "hugely under-represented" in positions of power, such as judges and police chiefs.
The commission recommended that responsibility for race equality strategy be brought under one government minister and new targets to improve opportunities and outcomes for ethnic minority communities be introduced.
A UK government spokesperson said "real progress" was being made - with black and ethnic minority employment rates at their highest levels for 15 years.
"But there is clearly more to do, which is why we are delivering a comprehensive race equality programme on employment, university places, apprenticeships, start-up loans and recruitment to the police and armed forces," a spokesperson said.
