That one line sums up what thousands of tech workers and office employees across Karnataka are feeling right now. The recent announcement that the Karnataka government is considering amending the Commercial Establishments Act, 1961 to permit 12-hour workdays has sent shockwaves across India’s IT capital — Bengaluru — and beyond.
While the government claims this move is meant to “align with global employment trends” and “increase productivity,” office workers are calling it what it is: a modern-day return to exploitative labor norms.
What’s the Proposal?
The Karnataka Labour Department has proposed amendments to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961, a law regulating working conditions in private offices, IT companies, startups, and retail shops.
Key proposal
– Increase the daily work limit from 9 hours to 12 hours
– Keep the weekly limit at 48 hours
– Allow 4-day work weeks with extended daily shifts
While on paper this seems to offer “flexibility,” in reality, employees say it will blur the already fragile boundary between professional and personal life.
Understanding the Act: The Law That Controls Your Work Life
The Shops and Commercial Establishments Act of 1961 was created to ensure that private sector employees in shops, offices, and IT parks enjoy decent working conditions, things like:
– Fixed working hours (9 hours a day, 48 hours a week)
– Weekly offs
– Paid leaves
– Breaks and intervals
– Overtime pay for extra hours
But here’s the catch: The law also gives state governments the power to amend or override provisions, which is exactly what Karnataka is planning.
Voices from the Ground: “This Is Not Silicon Valley. This Is Survival.”
The moment the news came out, social media platforms got full of people’s reactions. Instagram was full of memes and reels or ingeniously blunt criticisms. One viral post read:
“Bengaluru already has 2-hour commutes, endless meetings, and weekend emails. You want us to sit for 12 hours more?”
Here’s what a few tech professionals had to say:
– Pooja M., Software Engineer: “I left my hometown and moved to Bengaluru for a career, not for corporate slavery. Working 12 hours a day and calling it ‘flexibility’ is a joke.”
– Ravi Narayan, UI Designer: “I work in a startup. We already clock 10-11 hours. Making this legal means companies will stop offering any work-life balance.”
– Neha R., HR Executive: “Don’t glamorize burnout. Employees are humans, not productivity machines.”
The Numbers Don’t Lie: What Science Says About Long Work Hours
| Working Hours Per Day | Productivity (%) | Burnout Risk (%) |
| 6-8 hours | 100% | Low (20%) |
| 9-10 hours | 80% | Moderate (45%) |
| 11-12 hours | 60% or less | High (70%+) |
Source: International Labour Organization, 2023 Study
The Corporate View vs. The Human View
What the Government Says:
– Aimed at giving flexibility to both employers and employees
– Companies can adopt 4-day workweeks
– No compulsion, just an option
– Brings Karnataka in line with global employment norms
What Employees Hear:
– Long working hours normalized
– Hidden pressure to accept 12-hour days
– Potential reduction in overtime pay
– Devaluation of personal time, hobbies, family life
What Are the Alternatives?
Instead of increasing hours, experts suggest:
– Encouraging hybrid work: Saves commute time
– Stronger enforcement of current labor protections
– Mental health support for burnout prevention
– Promoting a results-oriented work culture, not hour-tracking
What Other Countries Are Doing
| Country | Trend | Reason |
| UK | 4-day workweek trials | Improved mental health |
| Sweden | 6-hour workday experiments | Boosted productivity |
| Japan | “Work-Life Reform” laws | Reduce suicide, stress |
| Germany | Strict 8-hour cap | Protect employee rights |
A Larger Movement: Work-Life Balance Is a Human Right
This isn’t just a Karnataka issue. It’s a mirror held up to India’s corporate work culture — where:
– Logging off on time is judged
– Weekend work is expected
– Hustle culture is glorified
– Burnout is treated like a badge of honor
But the new generation of workers is pushing back.
They are redefining success, not just by paychecks or promotions, but by peace of mind, purpose, and personal freedom.
The Final Word: It’s Time to Humanize Work
The Karnataka government’s amendment proposal may or may not pass. But it has ignited a much-needed debate regarding the treatment of workers in India, especially those in the white-collar sector.
Just because someone is not working on a factory floor doesn’t mean their time, health, or dignity is any less valuable.
As one Bengaluru resident put it: “We moved from villages to cities to dream. Don’t make those dreams die behind fluorescent lights and HR policies.”
Time to Rethink, Reset And Rise with True Wisdom
The proposal of 12-hour workdays by the Karnataka government is more than just some policy change; it is the showing of how contemporarily society is losing track of the real aim in life. The corporate world kept blindfolded by profit and productivity forgets the deeper question-who are we working for, and at what cost?
Spiritual leader Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj emphasized that genuine success in life is measured by peace, balance, and liberation of the soul, not working long hours or climbing corporate ladders. According to the Supreme God Kabir Sahib Ji’s teachings, human life is a rare opportunity for bhakti (devotion), not for endless slavery under the illusion of career success.
In the Srimad Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5, Verse 2, Lord Krishna says:
“Sanyasah karma-yoga scha nihshreyas-karav ubhau, tayos tu karma-sannyasat karma-yogo vishishyate.”
(Both renunciation of work and karmyog (devotion along with duties) lead to supreme peace. But among the two, karmyog is superior.)
Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj defines the verse quite clearly: God never exhorts us to quit our jobs or abandon responsibilities. Divinity guides a man in performing his worldly duties while simultaneously doing pure devotion. This is Karmyog, the so-called perfect balance, not forgetting that while making a living, the true aim in life is salvation or moksha.
Twelve hours of a working day may seem the only survival option, but without SatBhakti, devotion to the Supreme God Kabir Saheb according to scriptures, it is an endless cycle of suffering and rebirth. Karmyog truly means living simply, earning honestly, and dedicating some time to the Supreme God every day through Naam (mantra), conferred by a Tatvdarshi Sant like Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj.
Then, surely, the debate on work hours must continue. But even more so must be the awakening of the spiritual duties. Because finally, life is not just about earning bread for food, but about preparations for liberation.
FAQs about the Karnataka government regarding work hours
1. What is the key proposal by the Karnataka government regarding work hours?
Answer: The Karnataka government has proposed increasing the daily work limit from 9 hours to 12 hours while keeping the weekly cap at 48 hours, allowing for a 4-day workweek with extended shifts.
2. Why are employees opposing the 12-hour workday plan?
Answer: Employees argue that the plan blurs the line between personal and professional life, encourages burnout, reduces overtime pay, and normalizes long working hours under the guise of “flexibility.”
3. What does the International Labour Organization say about long work hours?
Answer: According to a 2023 ILO study, productivity drops significantly and burnout risk increases sharply with more than 8 hours of work per day. For 11–12 hour shifts, productivity may fall below 60% and burnout risk exceeds 70%.
4. Is the 12-hour workday mandatory under the proposed law?
Answer: No, the proposal does not make 12-hour workdays mandatory. It allows employers the option to implement extended work hours, provided the total weekly hours do not exceed 48. However, many fear this “option” could become an unspoken norm, pressuring employees to comply.
5. How does this proposal compare to international labor trends?
Answer: Globally, many countries are moving toward shorter work hours and 4-day workweeks to improve mental health and productivity. For instance, the UK and Sweden have run successful shorter workweek trials, while Germany maintains a strict 8-hour daily cap. Karnataka’s proposal appears to go against this trend.
