Domestic work and its quest for recognition
Despite Karnataka notifying the Code on Wages Rules under the broader Code on Wages, 2019 framework, aimed at standardising minimum wages, working hours and employer responsibilities, and a draft Domestic Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Bill, domestic workers remain outside the formal workforce, writes Rishita Khanna.
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Context
The article highlights the plight of domestic workers in India through a case study of a woman in Bengaluru. It emphasizes the structural push factors—such as lack of education, early marriage, and family responsibilities—that drive women into informal, unregulated domestic work. This sector, while offering flexibility, is characterized by absent labor protections, irregular pay, and a lack of social security.
UPSC Perspectives
Social
The narrative exemplifies the feminization of poverty and the burden of the care economy in India. The worker's trajectory—early marriage, widowhood, and single parenthood—illustrates how systemic vulnerabilities limit women's choices, pushing them into the informal sector. Domestic work often serves as a survival strategy rather than an empowering career choice. The lack of child-care support mechanisms forces women to choose work that accommodates their reproductive labor (childcare and household chores). UPSC aspirants should connect this to the declining Female Labor Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) in formal sectors and the phenomenon of women being concentrated in low-paying, precarious jobs. This highlights the urgent need for state intervention in the form of accessible crèches under the and broader societal changes regarding gender roles.
Economic
Domestic work is a significant component of India's vast informal economy, yet it remains largely invisible in national accounting and labor statistics. The article points to the core economic challenges: no fixed pay, unregulated working hours, and the absence of paid leave. This precarity traps workers in a cycle of poverty, making it difficult for them to invest in their children's future, despite their aspirations. The economic lens requires understanding the failure to recognize domestic work as 'work' under standard labor definitions. The state's inability to effectively regulate this sector means workers cannot access benefits like minimum wage, provident fund, or health insurance under the . Recognizing and formalizing this sector is crucial for inclusive growth and achieving the goals of decent work as outlined in the .
Governance
From a governance perspective, the article exposes the gap in legal and policy frameworks for domestic workers. While the theoretically includes 'gig workers' and 'unorganized workers,' practical implementation for domestic helps remains weak due to the private nature of their workplaces (homes). The lack of a comprehensive national law specifically protecting domestic workers is a glaring policy deficit. Governance challenges include the difficulty of unionization, the absence of grievance redressal mechanisms, and the state's reliance on fragmented state-level initiatives rather than a unified national approach. Furthermore, India has yet to ratify the on Decent Work for Domestic Workers, which would oblige the government to guarantee fundamental labor rights to this vulnerable group. Aspirants should evaluate the effectiveness of schemes like the in registering and providing targeted welfare to domestic workers.