Surveying Facial Recognition Models for Diverse Indian Demographics: A Comparative Analysis on LFW and Custom Dataset

Facial recognition technology has made significant advances, yet its effectiveness across diverse ethnic backgrounds, particularly in specific Indian demographics, is less explored. This paper presents a detailed evaluation of both traditional and deep learning-based facial recognition models using the established LFW dataset and our newly developed IITJ Faces of Academia Dataset (JFAD), which comprises images of students from IIT Jodhpur. This unique dataset is designed to reflect the ethnic diversity of India, providing a critical test bed for assessing model performance in a focused academic environment. We analyze models ranging from holistic approaches like Eigenfaces and SIFT to advanced hybrid models that integrate CNNs with Gabor filters, Laplacian transforms, and segmentation techniques. Our findings reveal significant insights into the models' ability to adapt to the ethnic variability within Indian demographics and suggest modifications to enhance accuracy and inclusivity in real-world applications. The JFAD not only serves as a valuable resource for further research but also highlights the need for developing facial recognition systems that perform equitably across diverse populations.