In India, tycoon’s call to adopt ‘996’ work culture in China spurs debate

India’s parliament is debating a draft law that would give employees the right to ignore work calls, emails and messages outside official hours, weeks after a tycoon’s call for a 72-hour work week sparked a furore on social media.\nThe Right to Disconnect Bill 2025, introduced on December 5 by MP Supriya Sule, would empower authorities to impose penalties on non-compliant firms.\nSupporters argue the proposal recognises workers’ rights in an era of always-on corporate culture. Critics, however, say enforcement would be difficult in a labour-surplus economy with many Indian employees working long hours.\nIn an interview with Republic TV last month, N. R. Narayana Murthy, founder of leading IT company Infosys, sparked a debate when he urged Indian workers to emulate China’s work ethic to advance their country.\n“There is a saying in China, 9, 9, 6. You know what it means? 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week. And that is a 72-hour work week.” He said young Indians should follow the same work routine.\nMurthy also made a similar call in a separate TV interview in 2023, saying “the average Indian’s attitude tends to be not so work-driven”.\nOnline users in India have pushed back against his comments, saying they were regularly tired due to late-night work calls, weekend emails from their companies and pressure to remain contactable all day long.\n\nUnder India’s proposed law, employees should be paid overtime if they are asked to work beyond regular hours. It also suggests establishing a process to address work emergencies.\nThe proposal is welcomed by human resources experts who say it recognises workers’ rights and protects them from overworking, but they concede that enforcing the law would be challenging.\nPrabir Jha, founder and CEO of Prabir Jha People Advisory, said that the spirit of the law was “uplifting”. Even if the law would not be implemented, it had created “some meaningful debate and hopefully, corporate introspection”, he added.\nThere would be practical challenges in validating complaints, imposing penalties and determining urgent and non-urgent work, Jha said. The legal framework’s structure would also be key to deterrence, he added.\nMurthy’s call might not be linked to the proposed law, according to Jha. Even if it were approved, implementation would not happen soon, as other related rules had to be looked into, he added.\nAparna Mittal, a corporate lawyer, agreed and said the law’s effectiveness would be contingent on its smooth implementation.\n\n“We already have multiple laws that regulate work hours, but their implementation has been quite lax across sectors,” said Mittal, who is also the founder of anti-discrimination consultancy Samana Centre.\nUnder the proposed law, working hours must remain capped at 48 hours a week. However, private companies often exploit young employees, who would work long hours with low pay, according to industry observers.\nRecent data from the International Labour Organization shows workers in India are among the most overworked globally, with about 51 per cent working at least 49 hours every week.\n“While I would like to see corporations promoting healthy work-life balance for all, and respecting personal time post-designated work hours, I am very sceptical about whether management of companies will actively adopt or follow such norms,” Mittal said.\nA statement issued in tandem with the draft law says new regulations are needed because digital tools have created a culture of constant availability, leading workers to sleep less and experience more stress.\nAmritraj Kaushal, a veteran criminal and corporate lawyer, said the proposed law could enhance the work-life balance of employees, particularly in the private sector, where long hours were the norm.\nMany employees experience a constant pressure to remain available\nAmritraj Kaushal, criminal and corporate lawyer\n“As digital communication continues to blur the line between professional and personal space, many employees experience a constant pressure to remain available, often without compensation or rest,” he said.\nThe law would compel organisations to set clear expectations for work hours and overtime procedures, Kaushal said.\nEvidence from other jurisdictions suggests that companies would improve their labour practices when such laws are in place, according to Kaushal.\nLloyd Mathias, an independent director on corporate boards, said the law would represent a “significant cultural pivot” in India, leading to better employee well-being and overall higher productivity.\nNonetheless, it would be a major challenge to push employers to change their attitudes and place greater emphasis on staff welfare, Mathias said.\n“India’s workplaces typically have a deep-rooted hustle culture, with an expectation of constant availability. Changing this ingrained behaviour and the management mindset in a labour surplus market will be a significant hurdle.”\n