Jharkhand Allows Women to Work Night Shifts

Fast Summary

• Women in Jharkhand now have the legal right to work night shifts (7 p.m. to 6 a.m.) in factories, following the approval of the Factory (jharkhand Amendment) Bill, 2025 by President Draupadi Murmu.
• The bill was tabled on August 2, 2023, passed by the Jharkhand Assembly, and forwarded for presidential approval. The Raj Bhavan received and forwarded it to state authorities.
• Companies are mandated to ensure women’s safety during night shifts and obtain their consent before assigning them such duties.
• Labor Department plans to notify this amendment in the state gazette within a week.
• Before this amendment, provisions under the factory act of 1948 prohibited women from working between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
• Jharkhand has numerous factories with round-the-clock operations; however, women previously worked only general shifts. Tata Motors has over 4,500 women employees-night shift opportunities are expected to boost employment participation further.
• Sanjay singh of Tatar Workers’ Union welcomed the decision but emphasized that companies must implement robust safety measures.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The decision by Jharkhand is a progressive step towards workplace equality while balancing concerns through mandatory safety provisions for nighttime work environments. amending restrictions under an outdated law like the Factory Act of 1948 reflects an effort toward modernizing labour laws amidst evolving industrial demands.

This shift could significantly diversify workforce participation by opening up new opportunities for women in sectors requiring continuous operations. Such inclusion can potentially contribute to greater gender parity across industries like manufacturing but hinges on strict enforcement of corporate accountability for employee safety-a key concern highlighted by stakeholders like union leaders.

While positively viewed as enabling equal opportunities similar to men in these domains,challenges could emerge if proper infrastructure or transportation services aren’t adequately implemented-issues governments and industries need proactive strategies against.

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