Guwahati: While corporate leaders across India debate whether a 70-hour workweek can drive economic growth, the question arises—can this be implemented in Northeast India, where the work culture is notably slower?
A recent analysis by Dr. Shamika Ravi of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM), based on the Time Use Survey (2019) by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), highlights stark differences in work hours across India. The report provides a state-wise breakdown of working hours, revealing that Northeastern states consistently log shorter workdays than the rest of the country. The study was published in January this year.
The data shows that while the national average for time spent on paid economic activities stands at 422 minutes per day (7.03 hours), most Northeastern states fall significantly below this benchmark.
“Recent remarks by leaders of corporate India have sparked an interesting public debate. Their general point is that if India wants to become a developed nation, people will have to work 70 hours a week or more. Assuming a six-day workweek, this translates to 700 minutes per day on employment-related activities. So far, the public discussion has mostly focused on efficiency versus quantity of work. Though this is an important aspect, it is imperative to first understand how things stand on the ground by studying the available data,” Dr. Ravi says.
“That is, how much time is spent on employment-related activities across states, different economic sectors, types of enterprises, rural versus urban differences, and differences across genders and social groups within the country. In addition, this note also provides evidence of the association between time spent on employment-related activities and the per capita Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) at constant prices.”
The highest working hours in the Northeast are recorded in Sikkim, where people work an average of 372 minutes daily (6.2 hours per day), followed by Arunachal Pradesh at 366 minutes (6.1 hours). Meanwhile, Mizoram reports the shortest workdays, with an average of just 5.82 hours per day. The average work hours per day in Assam stand at 352 minutes (5.87 hours).
Regarding time spent on paid work in rural and urban areas, Sikkim leads the Northeast, with people working 386 minutes in rural areas and 442 minutes in urban areas.
“Another remarkable feature that emerges from this analysis is that regardless of the nature of work and sectors, the Northeastern states of India report significantly shorter workdays compared to the rest of the country. Within each sector of the economy, the Northeastern states – Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura – report the lowest working time per day,” the study states.
Compared to its neighbors, Sikkim reports higher work hours in the secondary and tertiary sectors, aligning with the all-India average. However, in the primary sector, Sikkim’s work hours are comparable to those of other Northeastern states.
Regarding average time spent in government offices in the region, people in Assam work only 312 minutes per day in urban areas, the lowest in the country. In rural areas, they work for 305 minutes. Assam also ranks last in time spent working in private companies, with employees putting in just 309 minutes per day, although the performance is slightly better in rural areas, where people work for 427 minutes daily.
“The overall results indicate that while India is comparable to other emerging economies in terms of daily working hours, major economic gains can be achieved by increasing time spent on employment-related activities. This is particularly relevant for states (such as the Northeastern states) and sectors (such as the government sector), where people work significantly shorter hours per day compared to the rest of the country,” the study notes.
One of the key findings of the study is the relationship between working hours and economic productivity. The research suggests that a 1% increase in time spent on employment-related activities is linked to a 1.7% rise in per capita Net State Domestic Product (NSDP). This indicates that states where people work longer hours tend to have higher economic output. In small states and Union Territories, a 1% increase in employment-related time was associated with a 1.8% rise in per capita NSDP, a statistically significant correlation at the conventional 5% level.
With India at a crossroads regarding work culture, the Northeast’s shorter workdays raise important questions about productivity, job creation, and the future of work in the region.
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