The Telangana government has introduced a new policy permitting employees in all commercial establishments (except shops) to work up to 10 hours a day, with certain labor protections in place, as part of efforts to enhance the state’s ease of doing business.
The Government Order, issued on Saturday (July 5, 2025) by the Principal Secretary of Telangana’s Labour, Employment, and Factories Department, outlines provisions related to rest periods during work hours, overtime wages, and other related guidelines.
Under the new policy, the Telangana government outlines the following guidelines:
- An employee’s total working hours must not exceed 48 hours per week.
- Any work beyond this weekly limit must be compensated with overtime pay.
- Employees working more than six hours a day are entitled to a 30-minute break.
- The total span of work in a day, including overtime, must not exceed 12 hours under any condition.
- Overtime is capped at 144 hours per quarter.
The debate over work hours has been a trending topic in India, with several industrialists and CEOs calling for longer workdays, sparking significant public backlash. At the same time, there has been a growing conversation around the importance of work-life balance and the value of quality over quantity when it comes to work. In January 2025, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra weighed in on the discussion, emphasizing that the quality of work matters more than the number of hours spent working. In contrast, Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy and Larsen & Toubro Chairman S.N. Subrahmanyan faced widespread public criticism and trolling after suggesting that Indians should work 70 hours and 90 hours per week, respectively.
