🇮🇳 Working time rules
Working Time Rules: India
India: standard working hours, overtime, rest, annual leave, and record-keeping rules - a practical overview, not legal advice.
This is a general overview, not legal advice. Limits, reference periods, exceptions, and record-keeping duties vary by sector and contract and change over time. Confirm the current rules with the official source and a qualified adviser.
Standard work week40 hours per week8 hours a day over 5 days
Minimum annual leave12-15 days12-15 days earned leave (varies by state). Plus casual leave and sick leave.
Statutory working time
The Factories Act 1948 (s.51) limits working time to 9 hours per day and 48 hours per week for factory workers. Working hours for other sectors are governed by industry-specific legislation and may vary by state.
Overtime
Under the Factories Act, work beyond about 9 hours a day or 48 a week is generally overtime at twice the ordinary rate. Shops and commercial establishments are governed by state-specific laws that vary.
Rest periods
A weekly day off and rest or meal intervals during the working day, per the applicable act.
Record-keeping
Employers keep registers of working hours, overtime, and wages under the applicable act.
What to check before you rely on this
- The current statutory limits, reference periods, and any opt-outs.
- Sector or collective-agreement rules that may override the defaults.
- How overtime is authorised, recorded, and compensated.
- What working-time records you must keep and for how long.