The Indian government has confirmed that there are no plans to increase the maximum working hours to 70 or 90 hours per week, despite recent suggestions from some corporate leaders.
On Monday, Minister of State for Labour & Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, clarified in a written response to Lok Sabha that no such proposal is being considered. She also highlighted that labour laws fall under the Concurrent List, meaning both central and state governments are responsible for enforcement.
While Central Industrial Relations Machinery (CIRM) oversees compliance in the central sphere, individual state governments regulate working conditions through their respective Shops and Establishments Acts. Additionally, the Factories Act, 1948, governs work hours and overtime regulations in various industries.
The Economic Survey 2024-25 has warned that working more than 60 hours per week can negatively impact health. The report cites studies, including research by WHO/ILO and Sapien Labs Centre for Human Brain and Mind, which indicate that excessive work hours lead to mental distress and reduced well-being.
According to findings, individuals who spend 12 or more hours a day at a desk exhibit significantly lower mental well-being scores compared to those working fewer hours. Additionally, the WHO estimates that 12 billion workdays are lost annually worldwide due to depression and anxiety, resulting in a financial loss of approximately $1 trillion (₹7,000 per day).
The debate over longer workweeks gained traction after Larsen & Toubro Ltd Chairman & MD SN Subrahmanyan suggested a 90-hour workweek, including Sundays, for employees. His statement followed similar remarks by Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, who proposed a 70-hour workweek, and Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani, who made a controversial comment about work-life balance.
However, several prominent business leaders have opposed these suggestions. Harsh Goenka (RPG Group Chairman) warned that longer work hours could lead to burnout rather than success. Anand Mahindra (Mahindra Group Chairman) emphasised that quality and productivity should take precedence over the number of hours worked. Sanjiv Puri (ITC Ltd Chairman) stressed the importance of empowering employees rather than extending work hours.
This mirrors the ongoing work culture debate in China, where the controversial ‘996’ system—working from 9 AM to 9 PM, six days a week—has been widely criticised.