Algorithms Now Decide Wages, Work, Punishment in India’s App Economy
A new study on gig workers employed through digital platforms has found that app-based companies are using algorithms to make decisions about pay, work assignments and punishment without offering any explanation or way to appeal. The system deprives workers of basic rights, treats them as disposable and creates conditions that must be called out as unjust and dangerous.
Bonded Labor Law Exists in India, But Millions Still Work in Servitude
India outlawed bonded labour nearly 50 years ago, but millions remain trapped in exploitative working conditions, according to a new report by a workers’ rights network, which has accused the government of neglecting its legal duty to enforce protections and support victims.
New Labour Codes Weaken Worker Rights, Undermining Industrial Democracy
Industrial units with fewer than 300 workers in India no longer need government approval for layoffs under the new labour codes. This change removes key legal protections for most employees, shifting the law’s focus away from security and collective rights in the workplace.
How AI Is Changing Work Habits, Aspirations Among Young Indian Employees
The Indian workplace is undergoing a major psychological and structural reset, and artificial intelligence is at the heart of it. A new study shows that employees now use AI not only to work more efficiently, but also as a daily companion, career guide and thinking partner. This is especially true for younger professionals who are redefining what success, identity and purpose mean in their careers.
India’s Services Sector Drives Growth but Fails to Create Secure Jobs
A new report from the government’s think tank NITI Aayog shows that even though services account for more than half of India’s total economic output, they employ less than a third of the country’s workforce. The imbalance signals a deeper structural fault in India’s development model, where growth is accelerating without offering meaningful or secure work to most people.
July 9 Bharat Bandh: Is Discontent Reaching Boiling Point?
A joint forum of 10 central trade unions has called for a nationwide general strike, or “Bharat Bandh,” on July 9 in protest against what it calls the central government’s “anti-worker, anti-farmer, and anti-national pro-corporate policies.” With over 250 million (25 crore) workers expected to join from several critical sectors, the strike could be one of the most significant confrontations between the government and the country’s organised and unorganised workforce in recent years.
India’s Small and Medium Hospitals Need Their Own UPI Moment
As the government marks 10 years of the Digital India programme and celebrates progress in connectivity and service delivery, a critical gap remains in healthcare. Small and medium hospitals (SMHs) across the country still rely on paper records and disjointed processes, lacking even the most basic digital systems. If India wants its digital push to reach the millions who depend on these hospitals, it must create a public health infrastructure that is simple, affordable and practical, just as UPI was for financial services.
Supreme Court: Law Needed to Protect Domestic Workers’ Rights
The Supreme Court noted the absence of statutory safeguards for millions of domestic workers in India and directed the Union government to consider passing a protective law. The court observed that this workforce remains exposed to exploitation and poor conditions without proper legal rights.
Illegal Mining in Assam’s Dima Hasao Costing Lives
Three people have been confirmed dead, and one body had been recovered as of Jan. 8, two days after at least nine miners became trapped in a flooded “rat hole” coal mine in Assam’s Dima Hasao district. The incident resembles several similar accidents over recent years, despite numerous protests by local residents. The issue persists.
The Exploited Workers Behind the AI We Use
The global AI market, projected to grow from $200 billion in 2023 to nearly $2 trillion by 2030, is drawing millions of workers into its rapidly expanding sector. This surge in artificial intelligence affects industries like logistics, manufacturing, and healthcare but masks a harsh reality: the widespread exploitation of labour that powers these advanced systems, according to the authors of an upcoming book.
Swiss Court Sentences Indian-Born Billionaire to Prison for Exploiting Domestic Workers
A court in Switzerland has handed down sentences to four members of the Hinduja family, one of Britain’s wealthiest. This case, involving accusations of exploiting Indian staff at their Geneva mansion, reflects the principle that justice does not bow to wealth or status.
80 Million Workers Delisted from MGNREGS in 2 Years: Report
As many as 80 million registered workers have been delisted from the central government’s Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) over the past two years, according to a report by two civil society groups.
A 10-Year Report Card on Employment in India
A report by a collective that examines the accountability and transparency of the national financial institutions and economic policies shows discrepancies between the current government’s claims on employment generation and reality.
New Study Points to India’s Jobless Economic Growth
A new study, looking at how jobs and the economy have grown in India from 1983 to 2021, shows that even though the economy has been growing, this hasn’t led to enough new jobs for everyone. This means that the recent growth in India’s economy hasn’t created the kind of work that a lot of people can do, leaving many without jobs despite the economy getting bigger.
In India, How Much Time Do Married Working Women Get for Self-Care?
A working married woman in India, on average, spends over six hours daily to unpaid domestic chores and caregiving activities. In stark contrast, a married man gives merely 42 minutes per day to these tasks. As a result, women have significantly less time than men for self-care, leisure and socialising, as highlighted by a recent study.
Nearly 18 Million Workers Can’t Seek Work Under MGNREGS
Over 17.8 million “active” workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) can no longer look for work due to the central government’s mandate for the Aadhaar-Based Payment System (ABPS) for wage payments. The government asserts that workers were given ample time for compliance; however, civil society groups contend that the system is unreliable.
Over 150 Daily Suicides Among Farmers and Daily-Wage Workers in 2022
Of the 170,924 deaths by suicide reported in India in 2022, more than 56,280 occurred among daily-wage workers and those in the farming sector, according to the latest report released by the National Crime Records Bureau.
Why Millions of Workers Earn Nothing in India
India’s recent labour figures reveal a striking rise in self-employment, but the reality behind these numbers is less about entrepreneurial spirit and more about increased family labour without financial gains.