In early 2025, India’s corporate and social media discourse was set ablaze when NR Narayana Murthy, the co-founder of Infosys, publicly suggested that young Indians should be willing to put in 70 hours of work a week to rise on the global productivity ladder. His comments, rooted in his personal experience of long work hours during the early days of Infosys, sparked a wide-ranging debate: Is working 70 hours a week a path to national success, or an outdated idea that harms well-being and productivity?

This blog explores the key arguments on both sides of the debate, the evidence from research and global comparisons, the Indian context, and what a balanced perspective might look like for the future of work in India.

The Origin of the Debate: Murthy’s Provocative Suggestion

Among the suggestions made by Murthy was that he himself was a very committed person, a great example being that he often came early and left late during the early years of Infosys. He maintained that such devotion was not only the creator of his company but also the main author of India’s “gone to great heights” story, and he even went as far as to say that it was the young Indians who should embrace such a lifestyle.

But then, came his clarification: he did not think that the hours should be imposed on anyone, but rather be the result of personal choice and deep thinking, and thus, part of the larger discussion on productivity and ethics.

While Murthy’s intentions may have been to inspire, the reaction has been divisive and widespread.

Arguments in Favour of a 70-Hour Work Week

The supporters of the longer workweeks have come up with several arguments:

1. Enhanced Productivity and Economic Growth

Supporters argue that the increased working hours may lead to higher output and, along with that, Indian industries would be able to compete on the international level. The world’s rapidly expanding markets, such as Japan and Germany after WWII, are cited as historical examples where high work intensity coincided with economic transformation.

2. Skill Building and Career Advancement

Some argue that the extra hours can be seen as a gift for learning, taking on responsibilities, and falling deeply into work’s difficulty, which may be the case for the early-career professionals who seek rapid skill development. There is a study claiming that longer involvement in work tasks can lead to enrichment of learning experiences, but this is context-dependent.

3. Competitive Edge for India

Murthy is the storyteller, and if Indian youth would like to see the country jump over boundaries in terms of development, one of the ways to do that could be by showcasing a hard-working and contributing philosophy, especially in the sectors of knowledge and technology, hence leading to crucibles of confusion and sometimes even rivalry. This perception is sometimes based on concepts of responsibility, competition, and the past models of industrial growth.

Arguments Against a 70-Hour Work Week

While the notion of extended work hours may resonate with some corporate leaders, the evidence and expert opinion raise serious concerns:

1. Health and Well-Being Risks

Multiple studies show that working long hours (beyond ~50–55 per week) is associated with significant health risks, including increased likelihood of cardiovascular disease, stress, burnout, sleep disturbances, musculoskeletal issues, anxiety, depression and general fatigue.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has cautioned that working hours beyond 55 hours per week contribute to a higher risk of stroke and heart disease globally. In India, where stress-related absenteeism is already significant, this is particularly relevant.

2. Productivity Does Not Scale Linearly with Hours

It is established in research that the productivity of an individual working two to three hours overtime per day drops when the total working hours in a week exceed the range of 40 to 50. For longer periods, the outcome is not fruitful, and the brain power and decision-making ability will be affected by exhaustion.

3. Work-Life Balance and Family Responsibilities

A worker doing a 70-hour week will approximately spend 12 hours a day at work, six days a week, with very limited time for family, looking after oneself, sleeping, and having fun. This is an even bigger problem in India since many of the workers are already straining with a lot of family responsibilities. Researchers stress that a lack of work-life balance is the biggest cause of stress and poor health in society as a whole.

4. Gender and Structural Inequality Considerations

Women do most of the unpaid home care giving, and this limits their ability to work the same hours as men do. The female participation rate in the Indian workforce is still low (around 37% as of 2023), one of the reasons is caregiving, thus making it a double blow to women in the sector if longer hours become the standard that pushes their male counterparts further ahead.

5. Debate on Modern Productivity Models

Many modern organisational thinkers argue that the quality of work matters more than the quantity of hours. CEOs and business leaders in India have pointed to flexible, outcome-oriented models as better approaches than enforcing long hours. For example, leaders like Harsh Goenka have argued that work culture should focus on results rather than longer hours or rigid office attendance.

What Experts and Policy Perspectives Say

Economic Survey 2024–25, the Indian government warned against burning the candles at both ends, stating that working more than 55–60 hours a week might lead to mental and physical health issues and eventually hinder productivity. On a global scale, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in its different contexts, recommends 48–52 hours as the upper limit for weekly work hours, adding that long ones should be the exception and not the rule in the sustainable work model.

Comparative Experience: What Does Research Suggest?

It is quite obvious from the longitudinal studies done across industries that the excessive work hours often lead to burnout and consequently hinder productivity. For instance, research in software engineering has shown that the majority of developers follow the standard office hours and the late night or weekend work can, in fact, lead to stress and lost creativity.

The key takeaway from academic literature is that consistency, focus, and recovery time are critical to long-term productivity and quality of output — not just more hours logged.

The Indian Workforce Reality

It’s worth noting that long hours are already a reality for many workers in India:

• In sectors such as MSMEs and agriculture, 70–90-hour workweeks are common — often without adequate social security or compensation.

However, comparing these informal work patterns to a formal 70-hour workweek expectation for salaried professionals highlights an important difference: choice vs obligation. In many informal sectors, workers lack agency and protections, whereas in high-end corporate roles, extensions beyond the typical 40–48 hours may be discretionary or result from employer pressure.

Balancing Ambition with Well-Being: A Middle Path

A more nuanced perspective suggests that:

1. Productivity Gains Should Come from Smart Work, Not Just Long Hours:

Investments in skills, technology, automation, flexible work modes and employee wellness can enhance output without sacrificing well-being.

2. Personal Choice Matters:

As Murthy himself eventually emphasised, decisions about work hours should be a personal choice, not a mandate.

3. Flexible and Outcome-Oriented Work Is the Norm for Modern Talent:

Newer generations often value autonomy, creativity, and work-life harmony more than sheer hours logged. Encouraging results-focused work with flexibility may be more sustainable than returning to industrial-era models of work.

Conclusion: Adopt? Reject? Reframe.

The idea of a 70-hour workweek in India, especially for salaried professionals, is unlikely to be a practical one-size-fits-all solution. While historical leadership examples of long hours can be inspiring, equating longer hours with better productivity overlooks modern research and lived experience showing that:

• Productivity is not proportional to hours worked beyond a certain threshold.
• Health, relationships and well-being suffer from chronic overwork.
• Gender and societal inequities make long hours less feasible for many.

Instead of purely adopting longer workweeks, India might benefit more from smarter, healthier, and flexible work cultures that allow deep focus, recovery, and life outside work, delivering sustainable productivity without burning out the workforce.

This balanced reframing could help India’s workforce become more productive and fulfilled, aligning ambition with human well-being in the 21st century.

Ready to invest like a pro? Tradz by EquityPandit app equips you with 100+ Free tools and knowledge you need to succeed. Download the Tradz by EquityPandit app and gain access to daily stock lists and insightful market analysis and much more!