International Labour Organisation (ILO) flags India as second globally for share of workers exceeding 49-hour week

Key facts

• International Labour Organisation (ILO) data shows 51 per cent of Indian employees work more than 49 hours weekly, placing India second globally behind Bhutan.
• India’s average worker clocks 46.7 hours per week, down from 63.4 per cent of workers exceeding 49 hours in 2018 to 50.5 per cent in 2023.
• Work-related suicides linked to career problems totaled 2,083 cases in 2022, with youth aged 18-30 accounting for 38.5 per cent of such cases.
• Maharashtra reported the highest share of work-related suicides at 30.7 per cent, followed by Gujarat at 16.4 per cent and Karnataka at 11.4 per cent.
• Share of women working over 49 hours weekly rose from 13.2 per cent in 2018 to 16.1 per cent in 2023, while men’s share dipped from 86.8 per cent to 83.9 per cent.