India's urban unemployment rate for individuals aged 15 and above marginally increased to 6.7 per cent in April-June, while rural unemployment rose to 4.8 per cent, according to the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS). This rise in unemployment coincides with a notable decline in the overall labour force participation rate (LFPR) to a five-quarter low of 54.6 per cent.
Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya presented a comprehensive report card on the Sports and Labour & Employment ministries to NDA MPs, detailing India's ambitious bid to host the 2036 Olympics, targets for medal tallies, and significant growth in job creation and social security coverage over the past decade.
The Supreme Court, in a 6:3 majority verdict, has ruled that the expansive, labour-friendly definition of 'industry' from its 1978 Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board judgement will not be used for interpreting the Industrial Relations Code of 2020. However, the 'triple test' from the 1978 verdict will still apply to pending cases under the now-repealed 1947 Industrial Disputes Act.
US President Donald Trump has extended the USD 100,000 fee on employers for H-1B foreign workers for another year, citing a significant decrease in registrations from large IT outsourcing firms. This move, aimed at protecting American jobs and ensuring highly-skilled workers, also includes a separate proclamation for enhanced scrutiny of H-1B applications, particularly concerning potential layoffs of US workers.
'Major unions should be included. If this goes on, decision-making will become heavily one-sided and we will be forced to continue our strikes.'
The Union Cabinet has approved a significant increase in the mandatory EPFO wage ceiling from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 per month, a move expected to bring over 51 lakh additional employees under mandatory social security coverage.
A section of industry may need to begin compliance immediately, even as most states are yet to notify their rules.
Employers are increasingly prioritising professionals with four to 10 years of experience.
The aftermath of catastrophic flash floods and mudslides that swept through Nepal's Nuwakot and Dhading districts in September 2026. Survivors in Betrawati, Devighat, Ratamate, Angitar and Galchhi recount narrow escapes and shattered livelihoods, as a damaged school and thousands still missing underscore the scale of a disaster triggered by a glacial collapse.
A labourer has been arrested in Thane for allegedly raping a seven-year-old girl at a construction site, sparking outrage and demands for stricter verification of migrant workers.
A migrant labourer from Assam was beaten to death by a mob in Thiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu, after allegedly misbehaving with a woman. The victim, identified as Prosenjit Das, was staying in a rented room with six other labourers from Assam.
Thirteen children from the Baiga tribe were rescued from bonded labour in Chhattisgarh's Kabirdham district. Eight people have been arrested, including two alleged traffickers and six employers.
Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have expressed significant concerns regarding the labour ministry's recent clarifications on labour codes, citing ambiguity in wage calculation and implementation, which they argue creates interpretational and operational challenges for employers.
India's services activity expanded in August, but the pace of growth cooled to the second-slowest since March 2022, despite stronger output and new business, according to the HSBC India Services PMI Business Activity Index.
A tailor has been arrested for allegedly setting vehicles on fire during labour unrest in Noida on April 13. Police allege the accused incited workers to strike and then participated in arson, damaging vehicles with iron pipes. The accused was identified using scientific and electronic evidence.
A Goldman Sachs report indicates that up to 12% of India's non-agricultural workforce is at risk of substitution by generative AI, while 42-48% could be complemented. The report highlights uneven impacts across sectors and job types, with IT-enabled services facing higher risk and physical tasks remaining less affected. Gen-AI is projected to boost India's labour productivity growth over the next decade.
The India-Oman free trade agreement, operationalised on June 1, is set to create significant export opportunities for India's labour-intensive and value-added sectors, including textiles, gems and jewellery, and marine products, while also strengthening energy security.
J R D Tata, chairman of the Tata group from 1938 to 1991, said that whenever he had to make a difficult decision, he would ask himself, what will be good for India, and what will be good for the Tatas. If he had a doubt, he would decide in favour of India. In the long run, it would turn out well for the Tatas too, he said, points out Arun Maira.
BJP MLA Dhirendra Singh has urged the Uttar Pradesh government to formulate a comprehensive policy covering education, healthcare, housing and social security for labourers.
'It could be in IT, it could be in administration, it could be in legal, it could be in technical services, but entry level jobs are rapidly disappearing because AI is taking them over.' 'So, the big question what would happen if the bottom rung of the ladder is removed?'
A Karnataka-based activist's threat to file a 'child labour' complaint against the Rajasthan Royals for fielding 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the IPL has ignited a debate on nurturing young talent versus perceived exploitation, drawing widespread disbelief and criticism.
A Chinese military trading company executive has been arrested for allegedly leaking sensitive defence information to intelligence agencies from two countries, China's top spy and anti-espionage agency said on Monday.
An independent study reveals that while Geographical Indication (GI) registration has boosted the identity of Kerala's traditional handloom products, it has not uniformly translated into economic benefits across weaving clusters. Challenges include an ageing artisan population, competition from powerloom products, rising raw material costs, and inadequate marketing.
The larger question raised by the associations is simple: If ISRO is no longer to manufacture launch vehicles, what will happen to the institution's accumulated capabilities and the people who built them?
India's Code on Wages mandates strict payout deadlines, two-day full and final settlements, universal wage coverage and capped deductions to safeguard employees and enhance payroll transparency nationwide.
The challenge thrown by the youth movement creates the opportunity for a more consequential debate on India's economic trajectory because it must remain centered on India's youth as its driving impulse, asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
A rocket designed and developed by ISRO is being transferred to industry for production.
Nine ISRO associations want to know whether this is simply an effort to expand India's industrial capacity or part of a larger policy under which ISRO itself will eventually withdraw from rocket manufacturing.
The Indian government has notified final rules under four labour codes, potentially enabling a four-day workweek in certain sectors by capping weekly working hours at 48 while allowing daily flexibility. This move also introduces significant changes to wage fixation, compliance obligations, and social security norms.
The new labour Codes, notified by the central government in November 2025, have pushed up employee costs for private-sector banks and insurance companies, with these firms reporting higher operating expenses in the October-December quarter (Q3FY26) due to the statutory impact of the new labour Codes.
'They are claiming that they are very good in governance. All governments do propaganda. This is the propaganda of the government that they are doing very well, in spite of all the troubles.'
'They are claiming that they are very good in governance. All governments do propaganda. This is the propaganda of the government that they are doing very well, in spite of all the troubles.'
Economists highlight that resolving domestic policy bottlenecks, particularly through land reforms and improving the ease of doing business, will be critical for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'next-generation reforms' and India's economic transformation towards its 'Viksit Bharat' vision for 2047.
Eight workers, mostly from Bihar, were killed after a massive granite rock collapsed at a stone quarry in Bengaluru South Taluk. The incident, which occurred at Madapattana, has led to allegations of illegal quarrying and negligence, with an MLA claiming police, forest, and mining department officials are involved. Chief Minister D K Shivakumar expressed grief and vowed action against violators, while rescue operations continue amidst fears of a rising death toll.
The number of individuals who declared a gross income of Rs 100 crore or more in their income-tax returns had risen to 301 in 2022-23, moderated slightly to 284 in 2023-24, then climbed to 415 in 2024-25.
In many ways, 17th century India occupied a position in the global economy comparable to that of the United States today. Just as millions of people now look towards America because of its economic opportunities, merchants, adventurers and trading companies once looked towards India.
India's services sector experienced its weakest growth in four-and-a-half years in July, as new business orders, both domestic and export, eased due to intense competition and declining demand. Despite a modest rebound in job creation and improved profit margins, overall business confidence slipped, reflecting a broader slowdown in the economy.
The number of individuals reporting a gross total income of 100 crore or more in their income tax returns has quadrupled to 576 in Assessment Year 2025-26, up from 142 in AY 2021-22, according to data shared in Parliament.
The US Department of Labour's Office of the Inspector General has initiated an investigation into alleged fraud in H-1B and PERM work visa programmes. Indian IT firm Cognizant is among the companies under scrutiny for widespread schemes involving fraudulent applications, exploitation of foreign workers, and undercutting American labour. The probe aims to dismantle networks exploiting the guest worker visa system.
Of the Rs 31,820.80 crore allocated to central sector schemes and projects, only Rs 11,868.05 crore was utilised, according to the revised estimates.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to alter hiring patterns in South Asia, with multinational companies (MNCs) and firms integrated into global value chains (GVCs) reducing recruitment more sharply than domestic firms, signalling the technology's early impact on the region's export-oriented services sector, according to the World Bank's World Development Report 2026.
