Implementation of Labour Codes

• In a historic decision, the Government of India has implemented four Labour Codes - the Code on Wages, 2019, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, the Code on Social Security, 2020 and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 with effect from 21st November 2025, rationalising 29 existing labour laws.
• By modernising labour regulations, enhancing workers' welfare and aligning the labour ecosystem with the evolving world of work, Labour Codes implementation lays the foundation for a future-ready workforce and stronger, resilient industries driving labour reforms for Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Major benefits of the four labour codes are given below:

Common Provisions:

• Uniformity of Definitions: A key provision is the uniformity in definitions, ensuring uniformity across all codes.
• Web-based Inspection system: Use of technology such as web-based Inspection has been introduced in order to ensure transparency and accountability in enforcement.
• Inspectors are now Inspector-cum-Facilitators to support compliance and guide the employers and workers, eliminating “inspector raj.”
• Provision of Compounding of offences is introduced.
• The codes also provide for de-criminalization of offences, replacing criminal penalties (like imprisonment) with civil penalties (like monetary fines) for first time offences.
• Simplified compliance: Single license, single registration, and single return system.
• No gender-based discrimination, including against transgender persons, in recruitment, wages or work conditions.
• Greater opportunities for women: Women allowed to work in all sectors, including night shifts (with consent and safety measures).
•    Women must have proportional representation in Grievance Redressal Committees.

1.     The Code of Wages, 2019 :

o   Minimum wages become a statutory right for all employees in every sector, organised or unorganised.

o   A Floor Wage is introduced, to be fixed by the Central Government; States cannot set minimum wages below the floor wage.

o   Rules on timely payment and no unauthorised deductions now apply to all employees, regardless of wage ceiling.

o   Employers must pay all employees overtime wages at least twice the wage rate for any work done beyond the working hours.

2.     The Industrial Relations Code, 2020:

• Fixed Term Employment (FTE) introduced; FTE workers get all benefits equal to permanent workers, helping reduce excessive contractualization.
• A Re-skilling Fund is to be created; employers must contribute 15 days’ wages per retrenched worker for retraining, in addition to retrenchment compensation.
•  Formal recognition of trade unions ensured through the concepts of Negotiating Union and Negotiating Council for collective bargaining.

o     Model Standing Orders in service sector now permit work-from-home based on mutual agreement.

o   A Two-Member Industrial Tribunal (judicial + administrative) introduced for quicker dispute resolution.

o   The Code allows electronic records, registration, and communication, improving transparency and reducing paperwork.

 

3.       The Code on Social Security, 2020

• ESIC coverage expanded nationwide; voluntary membership allowed for establishments with fewer than 10 employees; mandatory coverage for hazardous industries even with a single worker.
• New definitions introduced: aggregator, gig worker, platform worker to cover emerging forms of employment.
• Provision for a Social Security Fund to provide Social Security Schemes covering life & disability, health, old-age benefits, etc. for unorganised, gig, and platform workers.
• A uniform definition of wages established (basic + DA + retaining allowance), to ensure higher social security benefits like gratuity, maternity benefit.
• Commute-related accidents now treated as employment-related, making employees eligible for compensation.
• Gratuity extended to Fixed Term Employees after one year of continuous service (instead of 5 years for regular employees).

4.           The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code 2020:

• The code provides for universal application of occupational safety, health and welfare standards in all establishments having 10 or more workers and even for establishments with one employee, carrying out hazardous or life-threatening occupations.
• Expanded definition of Inter-State Migrant Worker: Includes migrant workers employed by contractor, and also self-migrated workers; provides (a) annual lump-sum travel allowance, (b) portability of benefits and PDS to migrant workers and migrant construction-workers.
• Free annual health check-up for employees.
• Formalization through appointment letters: Every employee will be given appointment letters in the prescribed format.
• Broader coverage of working journalists and cine workers: Now includes electronic media and all audio-visual production workers.
• Single National OSH Advisory Board replaces multiple boards; this will set mandatory national standards for occupational safety and working conditions.

 

Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY) Scheme:

• The Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana was announced in the Union Budget 2024-25. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana on 15.08.2025 to support employment generation, enhance employability and social security across all sectors, with special focus on the manufacturing sector.  Under the Scheme, while the first-time employees will get one month’s wage (up to Rs 15,000/-), the employers will be given incentives for a period of up to two years for generating additional employment as per scheme guidelines, with extended benefits for another two years for the manufacturing sector. 
• With an outlay of Rs 99,446 crore, the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana aims to incentivize the creation of more than 3.5 crore jobs in the country, over a period of 2 years.  Out of these, 1.92 crore beneficiaries will be first timers, entering the workforce.
• The benefits of the Scheme would be applicable to jobs created between 01^st August 2025 and 31^st July, 2027.
• The Scheme consists of two parts with Part A focused on first timer employees and Part B focused on employers.
• A dedicated dashboard for PMVBRY has been developed and made live for real-time monitoring and transparency.
• Progress so far:

• Total establishments registered on the PMVBRY portal: 2,35,459
• Estimated Numbers of Beneficiaries (first time employees): 20,70,135
• Estimated Numbers of Beneficiaries (employers): 1,63,994

International Labour Affairs:

• Social protection coverage has risen sharply from 19% in 2015 to 64.3% in 2025. Now India ranks 2nd in the World after China in providing social protection to its citizen.
• India has been conferred with the prestigious International Social Security Association (ISSA) Award 2025 for 'Outstanding Achievement in Social Security' on 3rd October, 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• Government of India signed an MoU on 16th September, 2025 with International Labour Organisation (ILO) to Advance International Reference Classification of Occupations’ which in turn will help in International labour Mobility.

Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)

EPFO has undertaken several process reforms:

• Auto settlement of withdrawals upto Rs. 5 lakh, dispensing with mandatory cheque/passbook uploading.
• Centralized Pension Payment System (CPPS) enabling Employee Pension Scheme (EPS) Pensioners to get pension from any bank, any branch, anywhere in India from January 2025.
• Simplification of PF transfer process by removing the need for employer and destination office approval in most cases.
• Central Board of Trustees (CBT), EPFO, in its meeting held on 13.10.2025, approved following reforms to enhance Ease of Living for its members by simplifying EPF withdrawals, streamlining litigation processes and accelerating digital transformation across the organization:

1. The partial withdrawal provisions of the EPF Scheme have been simplified by merging 13 complex rules into a single, streamlined framework categorized into three types of Essential Needs (illness, education, marriage), Housing Needs, and Special Circumstances.
2. Withdrawal limits have been liberalized - education withdrawals allowed up to 10 times and marriage up to 5 times (from existing limit of total of 3 partial withdrawals for marriage & education in all).
3. Members can now withdraw up to 75% of their PF balance, including both employee and employer contributions, with the minimum service requirement of just 12 months for all types of partial withdrawals.
4. Vishwas Scheme approved as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism through a graded structure of penalties for settlement of penal damages. Under the Scheme, the rate of penal damages will be reduced to a flat rate of 1% per month, except for a graded rate of 0.25% for default up to 2 months and 0.50% for default up to 4 months. The scheme shall remain in operation for six months and is extendable by another six months. In another significant development, the Central Board also amended earlier flat rate of 1% per month notified on 14.06.2024 for default up to four months on similar graded rate.
5. MoU with India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) to provide doorstep Digital Life Certificate (DLC) services to EPS 95 pensioners.

• Employee Enrollment Campaign 2025 was launched w.e.f. from 1st Nov 2025 to 30th April 2026 by EPFO for increasing enrollment of employees with EPFO to enhance social security. The employer can declare, an employee who is alive and working with them since 01.07.2017 till 31.10.2025, but who could not be enrolled as member of EPF due to any reason. The penalty has been rationalized and now the employers availing this scheme are to pay a nominal Penal Damage of Rs. 100 only as a lump sum, a significant reduction from the standard penalties for non-compliance.
• Rate of Interest: The Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, has conveyed the approval of the Central Government under para 60(1) of Employees’ Provident Fund Scheme, 1952 to credit interest @ 8.25% for the year 2024-25 to the account of each member of the EPF Scheme.
• Signing of Banking Agreement: EPFO entered into agreements with 15 additional banks, both in public and private sector, on 01.04.2025 to enable direct payment of annual collections and provide direct access to employers who maintain their accounts with these banks, to pay their monthly contributions. EPFO has already empaneled 17 banks, and with the addition of these 15 banks, the total number has gone up to 32 banks. The agreement with the banks were signed in the august presence of Union Labour & Employment Minister, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya.
• Allotment and activation of UAN through UMANG APP using FAT: The entire process of allotment and activation of UAN made more robust through UMANG APP using Face Authentication Technology (FAT). The following facilities have been introduced in the UMANG APP for Employees/Members: -

                        I.         Direct UAN Allotment and Activation.

                      II.         UAN Activation for Existing UANs.

                     III.         Face Authentication Service for Existing Activated UANs.

There would be no requirement for initiation of UAN activation process afresh with this facility. The facility enables the members immediate access to EPFO services such as passbook viewing, KYC updated, claim submission etc.

• Advance under Para 68B (7) of EPF Scheme, 1952 based on self-declaration: In order to facilitate members to avail advance under Para 68B (7) of EPF Scheme, 1952 – which provides for advances towards additions, substantial alterations or improvements necessary to the dwelling house owned by the member or by the spouse or jointly by the member and the spouse - a Circular dated 17.04.2025 was issued. Members can now avail this advance based on a self-declaration confirming that the claim is made only after 60 months from the date of completion of the dwelling house and without linking to previous withdrawal.
•  Bulk generation of UAN in certain special cases: A software functionality has been made available to the Field Offices for bulk generation of UANs in special cases. To ensure proper accounting of Past Accumulations remitted to EPFO by Exempted PF Trusts –

a)   consequent to the surrender/cancellation of exemption and,

b)   also, in other cases involving remittance of past period contributions consequent to quasi-judicial/recovery proceedings, it has been decided to relax the requirement of Aadhaar for generation of UAN/credit of Past Accumulations for such members.

This facility allows bulk generation of UANs based on the Member ID & other member information available on record, enabling prompt credit of funds in the accounts of such members.

• Simplification in the process of seeding of Aadhaar (first time) or correction of Aadhaar in Universal Account Number (UAN): A new facility has been made available August 2025 onwards in the Member’s Portal for the member whose Aadhaar is yet to be seeded with the UAN, to seed the same using the Joint Declaration facility. If details in Aadhaar exactly match with UAN profile details, then employer can directly seed the Aadhaar for the employee. No other approval is required. In case of any mismatch, the Employer can forward the request online to EPFO Office for rectification. Wherever, if the Employer is not available, the member can directly submit the request to the Public Relations Officer in the PF Office, who can directly file such request online on behalf of the members. In addition, this facility can also be used to correct the Aadhaar of the member if wrong Aadhaar was previously entered.
• Simplification of process for credit of Death Claims to minor children: In the unfortunate death of a PF member, the accumulations in his/her Provident Fund are to be paid to the nominees.  However, in case if the nominee is a minor child, then a separate Guardianship Certificate was required to be submitted in certain cases for filing the PF claim in respect of the said minor.  With a view to simplify the process and speed up the settlements in such cases, it has been decided that no such Guardianship Certificate is required to be submitted if a Bank Account is opened in the name of the minor and the payments will be directly credited to the said Bank Account.  This will facilitate faster credit of the payments of Provident Fund, Pension as well as EDLI to the minors.
• Provision of facility to modify wrongly linked Aadhaar with UAN: Members are given the facility within the member portal to modify the wrongly linked Aadhar with UAN.
• Simplification of Transfer Claims - Transfer Certificate now made available in Member Portal: With a view to enhance transparency and ensure greater convenience for PF members, the Transfer Certificate which is an important document that contains the comprehensive record of a member's Provident Fund account, including Provident Fund balance with interest, complete service history for EPS benefit computation and Employment details, has now been made available for download in Member Portal for convenience.

This development is a part of EPFO's ongoing effort to provide member-centric, technology-driven services ensuring efficiency, transparency, and ease of access.

• Launch of the revamped Electronic Challan-cum-Return (ECR) for wage month September 2025 onwards: Beta version of Revamped Electronic Challan-cum-Return (ECR) system has been introduced, applicable for the wage month September 2025 onwards. The revamped ECR module is designed to streamline the return filing process for employers and establishments through the EPFO's employer portal. The key features of the revamped ECR are as follows: -

a.    Segregation of Return and Payment: The system provides for the segregation of the return submission process from the payment generation process.

b.    System-based validations: The new platform includes system-based validations aimed at preventing the submission of incorrect ECRs.

c.     Calculation of Damages and Interest: There is a specific provision for the calculation of damages and interest along with the ECR.

d.    Mandatory payment of Interest: The system will auto calculate the due interest amount and it is mandatory to pay along with monthly contribution.

e.    Provision for Revision of ECR: The system allows for the revision of the ECR subject to certain conditions.

f.      ECR Format: There is no change in the existing format of the ECR. Sequential payment: The system mandates month wise chronological filing of ECR. 

• Key progress in social security expansion, digital transformation and service delivery made by EPFO:

a.    EPFO became a member of the International Social Security Association (ISSA) Bureau for the first time.

b.    India–UK DCC agreement: The Double Contribution Convention agreement enables employees on short-term deputation to contribute PF in their home country for up to 36 month which was hitherto collected by host country. This reduces costs for both the worker and their employer and improves the cost-competitiveness of Indian talent.

c.     Digital reforms: Launch of Passbook Lite on Member Portal for easy access of passbook, online Annexure K to provide transparent information regarding transfer of accounts and FAT-enabled UAN activation through UMANG App for faster and transparent services.

Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC)

• No of districts covered under ESIC has increased from 668 to 713 as on 10.11.2025.
• SPREE Scheme 2025- ESIC has launched the Scheme to Promote Registration of Employers/Employees (SPREE 2025), providing a one-time opportunity for employers and employees who may have been inadvertently left out from ESI coverage to register without any concern for retrospective coverage or punitive action. Under this scheme, employers registering during the specified period will be treated as covered from the date of registration or the date declared by them, while newly registered employees will be treated as covered from the date of their registration. No retrospective coverage or punitive action will be taken for registrations made during the scheme period.
• Amnesty Scheme 2025 - ESIC has launched the New Amnesty Scheme 2025 to facilitate the outside court settlement of pending legal cases. The scheme aims to reduce the number of litigations by providing a structured mechanism for dispute resolution outside the court. It offers employers an opportunity to come forward for mutual settlement of issues, thereby promoting ease of doing business and fostering a more cooperative compliance environment.
• Simplification of Existing Damages Framework - ESIC has simplified its damages framework by replacing the earlier system of graded rates with a uniform fixed rate structure. Under the previous framework, the maximum rate of damages was 25% per annum; this has now been revised to 1% per month on the amount payable by the employer. This reform aims to promote compliance, minimize disputes, and foster a more conducive regulatory environment, thereby contributing to the ease of doing business.
• Extension of Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana -   In order to provide relief to insured persons, who have been rendered unemployed, a scheme namely "Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana" was introduced in ESIC on a pilot basis for a period of two years w.e.f. 01.07.2018. The scheme was intended to provide support in the form of an Unemployment Allowance during the period when an insured person searches for a new engagement for earnings. After completion of two years since its inception, the scheme was extended for another one year from 01.07.2020 to 30.06.2021. It was further extended upto 30.06.2022 and then upto 30.06.2024. This scheme has been extended for a further two years with effect from 01.07.2024 to 30.06.2026.
• 10 New ESIC Medical Colleges made operational: In line with the Prime Minister’s pledge to add 75,000 new medical seats over the next five years, the ESIC has approved the establishment of ten new medical colleges across India. This initiative aims to expand medical education and strengthen the country’s healthcare infrastructure. As of 15 October 2025, ESIC has made notable progress in securing Letters of Permission (LoP) for these colleges. Out of 10, nine colleges have received LoPs. Further, the Corporation also approved setting up of 10 more new Medical Colleges at Margao (Goa), Surat (Gujarat), Manesar (Haryana), Andhura (Odisha), Asansol (West Bengal), Kollam  (Kerala), Bibvewadi (Pune), Pandu Nagar (Uttar Pradesh), Nagpur (Maharashtra) and Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh).
• ESIC Hospital at Ranchi, Jharkhand: Union Minister of Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, on April 17, 2025, inaugurated the newly developed 220-bedded ESIC Hospital in Namkum, Ranchi, Jharkhand. This state-of-the-art hospital marks a significant milestone in strengthening healthcare delivery under the Employees' State Insurance (ESI) scheme in the state of Jharkhand.
• ESIC Hospital at Kala Amb, Himachal Pradesh: The newly constructed 30-bedded ESIC Hospital was inaugurated by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, at Kala Amb, Himachal Pradesh on 31^st May, 2025. Designed to be upgradable up to 100 beds, the hospital marks a major milestone in expanding quality healthcare services under the ESI scheme in the region.
• Amendment of ESIC Referral Policy 2023: Mandatory NABH/NABL accreditation requirements for empanelment of Health Care Organizations (HCOs) have been relaxed.
•  Policy for Empanelment: ESIC has issued a policy for the empanelment of Central/State Government institutions, Government undertakings, PSUs, and autonomous institutes (such as AIIMS, Tata Memorial Centre, ILBS, etc.) to provide cashless treatment to ESIC beneficiaries through a formal agreement.
•  Successfully completion of the phase 1 of E-Governance Project of ESIC – “Panchdeep” from Version 1.0 to 2.0:  ESIC–Panchdeep e-Governance Project from Version 1.0 to Version 2.0, has successfully completed Phase-I of the project. The primary activities undertaken during Phase-I included Alignment and Current State (As Is) Assessment. Phase-II of the project, which involves desired state (‘to be’) design, BPR & roadmap for implementation, is expected to be completed by December, 2025.
•   388 candidates have been selected for posts of Insurance Medical Officers (IMO) in ESIC.
• 240 candidates have been selected for posts of Assistant Professors in ESIC Medical Colleges.

   ESIC implemented the following ICT initiatives in the year 2025:

• Mobile App of SPREE - ESIC has developed a Mobile App of SPREE 2025 for capturing the data of employers during the visit of field officials for the SPREE awareness campaign and to facilitate registration.
•  Voluntary Aadhaar and Alternate ID Acceptance - ESIC has implemented provision of Voluntary Aadhaar and Alternate ID Acceptance for ESI Beneficiaries wherein beneficiaries are provided the option of updating Alternate ID for the purposes of verification.
•  Mobile validation & email validation of employer - ESIC has implemented the provision of Mobile validation & email validation in respect of employers so as a bi-annual process (April & October) where employers verify their registered mobile number and email via OTP to ensure accurate data and smooth communication for benefit processing
•  Photograph Capture for Beneficiaries - ESIC has implemented the process of capturing photographs of Insured Persons and their beneficiaries so as to verify their identification.

 e-Shram

•     e-Shram portal completed registration of over 31.42 crore unorganised workers on 22^th December, 2025, showcasing its rapid and widespread adoption among the unorganised workers. Launched on 26th August 2021, the portal has data seeded with Aadhaar. Integration has been completed with National Career Service (NCS), Maandhan, myScheme and Skill India Digital portals for seamless facilitation of services. Registration is on a self-declaration basis.
•  The multilingual functionality has been added on e-Shram Portal by leveraging MEITY’s Bhashini project to upgrade e-Shram Portal with 22 languages. Earlier, it was available only in 4 languages, viz, English, Hindi, Kannada and Marathi.
•  Integrated with Jan Suraksha Portal on 25^th March, 2025 to facilitate seamless enrolment under Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana schemes.
•   Completed integration with Skill India Digital Hub on 20^th January, 2025 for skilling opportunities and certificate access through e-Shram.

National Career Service (NCS)

The Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India, is implementing the National Career Service (NCS) project to transform the National Employment Service into a digital, one-stop platform [www.ncs.gov.in]. The platform offers a variety of employment-related services such as job search and matching, career counseling, vocational guidance, and information on skill development courses, internships, and job fairs. NCS serves as a bridge connecting job seekers with opportunities in both the private and government sectors, while also providing skill enhancement and career development support.

• On the NCS portal, 9,785 Job fairs were organized in which 34,969 employers participated, and 1,58,354 candidates were provisionally selected for jobs during the year. In respect of stakeholder registration, 16,62,838 new employers and 1,06,57,165 new job seekers were registered on the NCS portal. Around 4,09,93,033 vacancies were mobilized on the NCS portal from 01st January 2025 to 20th December 2025.
• The National Career Service (NCS) portal has been running programs to help young people improve their job skills. These programs include employability enhancement programs, digital skills training, psychometric tests, and career counselling. They aim to give job seekers the skills and knowledge they need to meet industry demands and boost their career prospects.
• A total of 6,764 overseas vacancies were posted by MEA Registered Agents on the NCS portal from 01st January 2025 to 20th December 2025.
•  The NCS portal has achieved significant milestones in employment accessibility. This year, active vacancies count crossed a peak of 35 lakhs on a given day, with an average of 20 lakhs job opportunities available on NCS portal at any given time. Further, over 4 crore vacancies have been mobilized during the financial year taking the total vacancies mobilized since inception to 7.03 crores. 
• The Ministry of Labour & Employment (MoLE) has entered into several strategic Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to strengthen the National Career Service (NCS) portal by integrating it with leading private-sector job platforms and global technology firms. As of December 2025, MoUs have been signed with prominent partners including Microsoft, Zomato, Zepto, Mentor Together, Quikr Jobs (Renewal), Rapido, Swiggy, APNA, and FoundIt (formerly Monster). A landmark MoU with Microsoft, signed in the presence of CEO Satya Nadella, aims to onboard over 15,000 global employers onto NCS, focusing on AI-led skilling, modernization of employment platforms, and enhancing global labour mobility for Indian talent. Partnerships with major gig and logistics platforms such as Zomato, Swiggy, Rapido, Zepto, and APNA are expected to generate several crore flexible and formal job opportunities over the coming years, with a strong emphasis on youth, women, and persons with disabilities. Additionally, collaborations with Quikr Jobs and FoundIt will significantly expand access to domestic and international vacancies, while the MoU with Mentor Together will provide structured mentorship and career guidance to nearly two lakh youth in its first year. Collectively, these initiatives represent a major step toward expanding employment opportunities, promoting inclusive hiring, and strengthening the digital employment ecosystem through the NCS platform.
• The Career Counselling Module onboarded 1,150 career counsellors to provide guidance and made information on 3,600+ job roles across 52 sectors accessible.
• NCS has been onboarded on the MyBharat platform to provide a user-friendly experience for youth, institutions, and organizations. Through MyBharat, NCS can create events, and registered volunteers can participate. Model Career Centres (MCCs) are also connected, enabling Young Professionals to engage with volunteers for job fairs and outreach programs and with Mentor Together a platform which provides mentorship for jobseekers which helps in reducing the attrition rate in jobs.
• NCS has undertaken certain developments to better serve the jobseekers, including the: the Jobseeker Module (Cloud based Web Application), designed to enhance user experience, streamline registration, and provide advanced job search functionalities; the Employer Module (Cloud based Web Application), which enables employers to post vacancies, manage applications, and engage with jobseekers more effectively; the Mobile Application for Jobseekers, and AI-enabled functionalities (such as intelligent job matching and an advanced resume builder), offering greater accessibility and convenience by allowing users to search and apply for jobs anytime, anywhere.
• Further, National Career Service (NCS) has strategically transitioned from a service platform to a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for Employment and Livelihoods, envisioned also as a Global Digital Public Good. NCS is now being developed as an open, secure, and interoperable digital backbone that connects government systems, private job portals, educational institutions, and startups which has necessitated revision of the technical architecture.
• NCS has also undertaken the International Labour Mobility (ILM) initiative which aims to facilitate the safe, regulated, and transparent placement of Indian workers abroad by leveraging the NCS Portal as its digital backbone. This is being done in close coordination with ministries such as Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, External Affairs, and Home Affairs, creating a whole-of-government approach to open international employment corridors.

National Career Service Centres for Differently Abled (NCSCs-DA):

 

Directorate General of Employment, Ministry of Labour & Employment has established 24 National Career Service Centres for Differently Abled (earlier known as Vocational Rehabilitation Centres for Handicapped). The main objective of National Career Service Centres for Differently Abled is to evaluate the residual capacities and provide rehabilitation services to persons with disabilities irrespective of their educational backgrounds and as per benchmark disabilities. The Centres provide Vocational Guidance, Career Counselling, Non-formal Vocational Training, extend Referral Services. These Centres also conduct Outreach Activities, and assists in the process of Vocational Rehabilitation.

Physical Achievement of NCSCs-DA from JAN-NOV, 2025
S.No.	Activity	Jan-Nov-2025
1	INTAKE	44,717
2	EVALUATION	44,698
3	REHABILITATION	16,249
4	JOB FAIR	404

 

National Career Service Centres for SC/ST(NCSCs-SC/ST):

 

The Directorate General of Employment, Ministry of Labour and Employment is implementing the “Welfare of SC/ST jobseekers Scheme” through the network of 25 National Career Service Centres for SC/ST (NCSCs-SC/ST) across the country. The objective of the scheme is to enhance the employability of SC/ST jobseekers through vocational guidance, career counselling, computer training, pre- recruitment training etc.

Year/Month	Career Counselling and Guidance Services	Typing and Shorthand	No. of Job Fair Organised	No. of Candidates given offer of Appointment	Special Coaching Scheme	Computer Training
January, 2025 to November, 2025	2,61,228	15,514	324	3,799	2,160	2,925

 

Gig and Platform Worker:

• The Ministry is working towards Framework Development for Social Security Coverage to Gig and Platform workers.
• To implement the Budget Announcement, a scheme to extend Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) benefits to online platform workers has been approved by the Standing Finance Committee on 18.03.2025 and subsequently, approved by the competent authority.
• Till date, 12 major aggregators have been onboarded, namely - Zomato, Blinkit, Uncle Delivery, Urban Company, Uber, Amazon, Ola, Swiggy, Ecom Express, Rapido, Zepto and Porter who have lakhs platform workers registered with them.
• Special nationwide registration campaign for Platform Workers on the e-Shram Portal was launched to enable extending social security benefits.

Revamping of Samadhan and Shram Suvidha Portals:

• As announced in the budget 2024-25, the Ministry is working on revamping of Shram Suvidha and Samadhan Portals. This upgradation will make the portals more efficient and effective and facilitate ease of compliance and ease of doing business for industry and trade, as well as faster disposal of industrial disputes and speedy settlement of claims and workers grievances.
• This will involve upgradation of Technology and Software as well as addition of more user-friendly features, provision for online transfer of cases to states, linking with several other Government portals and so forth.
• Portals are being developed to server IT requirements of codes.

 

V V Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI)

 

Training

• Conducted 147 training programmes for different stakeholders and social partners with a view to enhance their skills and capabilities to respond to the challenges of change and 12 workshops attended by 3640 participants and 368 participants respectively.
• For empowering unorganized workers, the Institute organized 63 Capacity Building training programmes on various dimensions of unorganized sector.
• Conducted 23 training programmes specifically on Labour Codes.
• The Institute is empanelled as a training institution under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme of the Ministry of External Affairs. Under the programme, the Institute conduct approx. 5/6 international training programme every year.
• Conducted a Training of Trainers on Evidence-based Policy Making for Decent Work and Social Justice for officials of Institutions of MoLE by trainers of International Training Centre of ILO, Turin.

Research

• VVGNLI has completed 16 Research Projects/Paper/Case Studies on various facets of labour and employment during January to December 2025.
• Two research projects have been sponsored by ILO
• Two research studies have been completed under the aegis of BRICS Network of Labour Research Institutes: (i) Platform Employment: Role in the Labour Market and Problems of Platform Workers’ Labour Regulation (BRICS Network of Labour Research Institutes 2024); and (ii) Artificial Intelligence and its Impact on the World of Work (BRICS Network of Research Institutes 2025
• Created and uploaded 06 Online Training Modules on Labour Codes and Labour Administration on i-Got platform of Capacity Building Commission

 Publications

• The Institute brought out 30 publications during 2024-25.

Networking

• Signed MoUs with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Law University, Sonepat, Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar, Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak, Dashrath Manjhi Institute of Labour and Employment Studies, Patna, Government of Bihar and Indian Institute of Management, Jodhpur - facilitate academic exchange and student mobility, to develop academic relationships, and to support the collaborative research and training related to labour and employment issues.

Directorate General of Mines & Safety (DGMS)

• Implementation of a nationwide transformation of blasting technique in the mining industry from electric detonator to electronic detonators in all coal mines to strengthen national security.
• Mapping of Mines: A total of 1407 mines have been registered in SSP during the year 2024. A total of 1592 mines has been registered in SSP during the year 2025 till 31 oct 25.
• Skill & competency: Examination (CBT) - Multilingual CBT in six regional languages at 14 centers across India for 23 examinations, a total of 17070 candidates attended online CBT.
• Conduct of the Statutory certificate Examination twice in 2025.
• Ease of doing: 100% Permission/Exemption/Relaxation/Approvals cases have been dealt through online portal. The applications have been dealt online within a prescribed time line of 03 months.
• Publication of Statistical Analysis of Coal and Non-Coal Mine Accidents. a comprehensive report presenting an analytical review of Coal and non-coal mine accidents and published on public domain.

Dattopant Thengadi National Board for Workers Education and Development (DTNBWED)

• Dattopant Thengadi National Board for Workers Education and Development (Board) has been recognized by National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Govt. of India as an Awarding Body (Standard) to design and develop curriculums for different job roles under different sectors and execute ground level.
• Initiated execution of following inter-Ministerial skilling programs for the interest of the workers especially in the organized sector.

a.         Training of 1 lakhs construction worker in collaboration with Uttar Pradesh Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board, Department of Labour and Employment, Govt. Uttar Pradesh.

b.         Training of 2000 construction workers under Pradhan Mantri Virasat ka Samvardhan Yojna (PM-VIKAS) in collaboration with Ministry of Minority Affairs, Govt. of India in the state of Jharkhand.

c.         Training of 13,500 construction workers under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna (PMKVY 4.0) under Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Govt. of India.

• Implemented 12 hours need based capsule skilling program for about 80,000 as Employability and Proficiency Enhancement Program designed to mitigate the acute domain and employability skill gap in collaboration with 10 Nationally accredited expert organizations including Central PSUs, Sector Skill Council and Awarding Bodies.
• Conducted ‘Chintan Shivir’ on 10-11^th November, 2025 at Chandigarh with the participation of representatives from Industries, Developmental Agencies, Senior officers of the Ministry and officers of the Board.
• To enrich workers education both in terms of its reach and content a convergence meeting of the representative of different Universities, prominent academic institutions have been conducted at New Delhi on 31.10.2025.
• To improve upon the reach of the Boards activities a synergized platform of development partners is resolve to be created. EoI for this purpose have been uploaded to the Board’s website and published in National print media. 72 Development organization of repute have participated to the mission so far.
• 107 No. of Training of Trainer courses have been conducted wherein 2697 No. of peer Trainers have been created for conducting onward training programs.
• Training program: Board has conducted 9179 nos of programs in which 536553 nos of workers have been trained. Till now Board has registered 129345 nos of registrations under various welfare schemes. 

Labour Bureau:

• Centres and All India Index from December 2024 to October 2025 and release of Retail Price Index for 31 essential commodities from November 2024 to October 2025.
• The Labour Bureau has revised the base year of the Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers (CPI-AL & RL) to 2019=100, replacing the 1986-87=100 series, to better capture price changes faced by agricultural and rural labour households. The revised series incorporates updated expenditure weights reflecting current consumption patterns, adoption of the Geometric Mean to moderate price volatility, alignment with COICOP-2018, and computation of PDS item prices based on the admissibility concept. Its coverage has been expanded to 34 States/UTs, with prices collected from 787 sample villages and an enlarged basket of ~150-200 items, thereby enhancing the robustness and policy relevance of the index for wage indexation and welfare interventions affecting agricultural and rural labourers.

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Rini Choudhury/Anjelina Alexander

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