In the world of work, there is often a debate about productivity and growth, but this time this debate is in the news again, the credit for which goes to Infosys founder Narayana Murthy. In an interview, the 79-year-old industrialist cited China’s 9-9-6 work model and said young Indians should also work 72 hours a week. His statement has created a big controversy on social media and people are actively debating on it.
What is China’s 9-9-6 rule?
The 9-9-6 rule was a long-used work pattern in many major Chinese tech companies. Under this, employees had to work six days a week, from 9 am to 9 pm, a total of 72 hours per week. The practice was widely used by major companies like Alibaba and Huawei, as well as many startups. However, this rule has been widely criticized. People say that working for such long hours increases stress, affects health, causes fatigue and even harms personal life. For these reasons, in 2021, the Supreme Court of China declared this 9-9-6 rule illegal. However, the extent to which this is actually implemented is unclear.
Why did Narayana Murthy suggest a 72-hour work week?
In an interview, Murthy said that China has a 9-9-6 work week, which means working from 9 am to 9 pm six days a week. In this way a total of 72 hours of work has to be done. Indian youth should also work like this. He also said that one should first make a life, then worry about work-life balance. It is noteworthy that Narayana Murthy had earlier created controversy by advocating a 70-hour working week in 2023, and this time his statement has become a topic of discussion in the entire country.
Debate broke out on social media
This statement of Narayana Murthy received sharp criticism on social media. Some pointed out that in India there is neither fair overtime pay nor good working conditions, making the idea of a 72-hour week impractical. One user wrote, “First provide fair wages, job stability and respectable working conditions, then talk about 72 hours.” Meanwhile, many users cited Europe, where a 10-5-5 culture, i.e. 10 am to 5 pm, five days a week, is prevalent and people enjoy life to the fullest.
