Two of the three strikes are related to the gig economy, a centrepiece of the new labour Codes.
'More and more people from the middle class will become self-employed gig workers mostly working from home, rather than as office workers with salary, promotion, bonuses, etc.'
The gig economy market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17 per cent to reach a gross volume of $455 billion by the end of 2024, according to a white paper by The Forum for Progressive Gig Workers. Estimates suggest the gig economy has the potential to create 90 million jobs and add 1.25 per cent to India's GDP (gross domestic product) over time.
You have to make yourself visible and create opportunities for yourself, advises Gaurav Goyal, co-founder, Scalenut.
Indeed has seen an increase in listings for drivers, food delivery runners, and other service providers.
Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani predicts that large corporations in India will lose jobs due to automation and AI, while millions of small businesses will drive future employment growth. He advocates for deregulation, simplified business interfaces, and digital platforms to support small entrepreneurs and a gig economy workforce.
Employees are finding the 9 to 5 work cycles engaging anymore and are looking for greater flexibility, more challenging work, and new learnings.
Don't worry about volatile, erratic cash flows, freelancers. Vishal Dhawan explains how you can invest and achieve your financial goals despite irregular income.
The gig economy can serve up to 90 million jobs in the non-farm sectors in India with a potential to add 1.25 per cent to the GDP over the "long term", a report said on Tuesday. The gig economy, where workers get hired typically for short durations, can lead to transactions of over $250 billion over the long term, the report by the consultancy firm BCG said. The firm said gig economy is not a new concept but has seen greater adoption following the advent of technology.
Sudipto Dey discusses the changing nature of jobs with Paul Dupuis, who recently took charge as India head of HR services major Randstad.
Sudipto Dey discusses the changing nature of jobs with Paul Dupuis, who recently took charge as India head of HR services major Randstad.
'In the current scenario e-commerce delivery is flourishing, driving demand.'
'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?'
'You will see more and more people working independently -- starting beauty parlours, driving cars, etc.' This is what we call the gig economy.' 'The same people who have been laid off in India or are unable to get visas to work in the US may be part of this gig economy.' 'India needs billions of jobs, and it can only be created by self-employment or the gig economy.'
Tax treatment depends on the activity and manner of earning income.
AI-driven job disruption, rising debt, shrinking savings and a changing global economy are reshaping India's middle class. Saurabh Mukherjea discusses jobs, entrepreneurship, investing and the future of India's economic growth on THE REDIFF PODCAST.
Behind the aesthetics of an entrepreneurial lifestyle lies a silent financial crisis that nobody is talking about: Freelancers are sprinting toward a retirement brick wall.
Gig workers are usually spoken of in the context of the sharing economy, like Uber, Ola drivers, delivery persons for Zomato and Swiggy and so on. This is the first time such workers will be covered under India's social security law.
Overall hiring volumes grew by 17 per cent year-on-year across key consumption-linked sectors during the August-October period, driven by heightened consumer sentiment, attractive festive promotions, and wider geographic penetration, according to a report.
Fresher hiring is expected to more than double compared to last year.
Women are increasingly using gig work as a pathway to economic independence which has no entry barrier, especially as an alternative to traditional jobs.
It was left to an incensed Gen Z to show the rest of India that enough was enough, and that the time had come to shatter the fear psychosis generated by the government's authoritarian approach to protests and criticism, points out M R Narayan Swamy.
With India's gig economy projected to double in size, reaching over 10 million workers in the coming years, Ola Electric unveiled its new line of budget-friendly e-scooters, starting at under Rs 40,000. The market responded positively, with Ola Electric's stock rising by 5.67 per cent, closing at Rs 73.47 on the BSE.
But when it comes to e2W, China is the dominant player and had grabbed over 76 per cent share of total e2W imports in 2025 with brands like Yadea, NIU and Sunra dominating the market.
Even as festive hiring for the year surged, wage parity between gig and permanent employees remained unresolved, with 47 per cent of respondents believing there is a pay gap, a report has revealed.
'First-time applicants may witness longer approval times or higher rejection rates and requests for more documentation.'
Cooperation Minister Amit Shah addressed Parliament regarding the challenges faced by Bharat Taxi, a government-backed cooperative ride-hailing platform, including competition from established private aggregators and resistance to digital adoption among drivers.
Both companies and individuals seek greater flexibility and freedom.
Drawn in by fuzzy promises about unleashing the entrepreneur in each of us and the benefits of being one's own boss, people find themselves instead oppressed by an algorithm, notes Rahul Jacob.
Eternal-owned quick-commerce firm Blinkit has dropped its '10-minute' delivery claim after intervention by the Labour Ministry amid growing concerns over the welfare and safety of delivery workers.
'There are new job roles that are emerging because of AI.'
'Unfortunately, today most ministers are busy with either election duty or praising duty. They are not interested in serving duty.' 'Ministers have become relaxed like retired people still holding onto jobs.' 'Look at how the NEET paper leaked. But there is no accountability.' 'After 12 years, they have become saturated. They are short of ideas.'
However, under several external factors -- such as technological disruption or advancement, regulatory or policy changes, or economic shocks -- the gig workforce may grow only to 32.5 million by 2047, a report points out.
Quick commerce (qcom) industry is poised to lead gig workforce hiring in 2025, propelled by a surge in demand for faster deliveries, expansion by existing players, entry of new competitors, and evolving consumer preferences in the post-pandemic era, according to industry experts. The qcom industry currently employs nearly 260,000 people - around 200,000 delivery personnel and 60,000 dark store workers, according to TeamLease Staffing.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said the government will arrange identity cards and registration on the e-Shram portal to assist 1 crore gig workers. Presenting the Union Budget 2025-26, the finance minister also said a scheme for the socio-economic upliftment of urban workers will be implemented.
Over the past week, several unusual partnerships among start-ups, traditional businesses and hospitals have been announced, and several more are likely to materialise soon. The trend could see increased importance of gig workers, who are taking considerable risk to deliver goods to people in the time of a pandemic.
'It would be similar to what happened during COVID-19.' 'They are not just losing income, but being pushed into distress.'
At a time when the tech sector witnessed a spree of layoffs and slowdown in new hiring, IT firms have opted for temporary jobs in order to turn some their fixed costs variable. Work fulfillment platform Awign has reported a 157 per cent rise in demand for such jobs in first half of 2023. Awign says most of the demand has arisen for highly-skilled tech professionals at mid-level and senior positions with 2-7 years' experience.
Highlights of the Economic Survey 2025-26
According to draft Code on Social Security, 2019, gig and platform workers will be entitled to life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits, among others.
