Is India Really Shifting To 72-Hour Workweek? PIB Debunks Viral Claim On New Labour Code

A viral video making rounds on social media has ignited fresh alarm over India’s new labour regulations, claiming that employees will now be forced into gruelling 12-hour shifts per day, adding up to a punishing 72-hour workweek. However, the government has stepped in to set the record straight.

The PIB Fact Check team has dismissed the claim as “misleading”, asserting that the newly introduced Labour Code does not mandate extended working hours as suggested.

According to the official clarification, the Labour Code clearly caps normal working hours at 8–12 hours per day and 48 hours per week, ensuring no escalation in the total weekly workload for employees.

New Labour code

While the law allows flexibility for companies to adopt 12-hour workdays, this provision comes with strict conditions: such longer shifts can only be implemented for up to four days a week, with the remaining three days treated as paid weekly holidays. The 12-hour window also includes the mandatory break intervals and spread-over time.

Crucially, the Labour Code makes overtime entirely voluntary, requiring explicit worker consent. Employers are also legally bound to pay overtime wages at no less than twice the regular rate for any work performed beyond standard hours.

For more detailed clarity on India’s Labour Reforms, please visit.