 "Murthy referred to China’s famously demanding 9-9-6 culture, suggesting that Indian youth should be ready to work harder if they want the country to progress faster. File image/Reuters")
Whenever India talks about work–life balance, Infosys founder Narayana Murthy often finds himself at the centre of that discussion. And once again, the 79-year-old billionaire has shared his views on productivity, long working hours, and what it will take for India to move faster on the global stage.
In a recent interview, Murthy pointed to China’s well-known ‘9-9-6’ work routine as an example of the kind of commitment he believes young Indians may need to show.
His recent remarks have once again set off a fresh debate on social media, with many asking whether such a system drives growth or simply drains workers.
Here’s a closer look at what he said
But first, A look at China’s ‘9-9-6’ work routine
The term 9-9-6 refers to a work routine where people work from 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week — a total of 72 hours. This culture became widely associated with China’s tech giants during the country’s massive technology boom. Companies like Alibaba and Huawei became known for encouraging, or in some cases expecting, such long work hours from employees.
The model helped fuel China’s rapid growth, but it came with a heavy cost. Workers and labour activists have criticised 9-9-6 for leading to exhaustion, stress, burnout, and broken personal lives, with some employees referring to it as “modern slavery.”
Concerns escalated over the years. According to Reuters, the Chinese government eventually stepped in and ruled such schedules illegal in 2021 to protect workers’ rights.
The same year, major firms such as ByteDance and Tencent publicly distanced themselves from the practice. The push for change grew stronger after the death of a 22-year-old Pinduoduo employee, who collapsed while returning home past midnight.
China’s labour laws now lay down clear limits. Workers should not work more than eight hours a day or 44 hours a week. The overtime should not exceed one hour a day, and in special cases, it can stretch to three hours, but not more than 36 hours a month.
These restrictions are in line with International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards.
However, despite all these rules, long work hours still exist in many industries. Weak enforcement of labour laws, pressure to hit performance targets, and relatively low wages mean that overtime continues to be a reality for many Chinese workers.
What did Murthy say?
In a conversation with Republic TV, Murthy was asked whether India could genuinely dream of overtaking China in areas like manufacturing and global competitiveness. He said he believes it is possible, but only if India is willing to put in the kind of sustained effort that such a goal demands.
“If we have great ideas, if we back it up with extraordinary action in every aspect — every citizen, every bureaucrat, every politician, every corporate leader, every civil society leader — I do think we can do that. But the job is not easy,” Murthy said.
He stressed that real change comes only when individuals push themselves to set higher standards.
“We must realise the job is not easy. It requires each one of us to set high benchmarks for our own actions. And it is the sigma of those that will make India reach China,” he added.
At this point, Murthy referred to China’s famously demanding 9-9-6 culture, suggesting that Indian youth should be ready to work harder if they want the country to progress faster.
“There is a saying in China, 9, 9, 6. You know what it means? 9 am to 9 pm, 6 days a week. And that is a 72-hour week,” Murthy said, arguing that Indians may need something similar.
He also repeated a message that sparked a nationwide debate last year, that young people should prioritise building their careers before focusing on work-life balance. According to him, people must first “get a life and then worry about work-life balance.”
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‘We’re humans, not robots’: Social media reacts**
Murthy’s remarks quickly sparked a wave of reactions online, and a large part of it was critical.
“Quoting China’s 9-9-6 as a benchmark sounds great on paper, but India doesn’t even have the basic ecosystem for it — fair salaries, work-life balance, mental health support, or productivity-focused culture. Harder hours won’t fix deeper structural issues,” one user wrote.
“If you expect employees to work from 9 AM to 9 PM, then you must provide incentives that match the workload. And if you cannot offer fair compensation or support, then don’t expect employees to work like machines. We are humans, not robots, and we deserve a healthy and respectful work environment,” another said.
One user on X responded with a comparison to Europe, writing, “There’s a saying in Europe, 10, 5, 5. You know what it means - 10 am to 5 pm, 5 days a week. They go for walks, trekking, meet friends, and ‘enjoy’ life.”
“If you can pay me the salary equivalent to that of a Chinese employee, I would work 16 hours 6 days a week. I have zero social life anyway," wrote another.
Another comment targeted the gap between corporate wealth and employee pay, saying, “So will you pay on an hourly basis? No. You want employees to work 24x7 so that you can transfer shares worth ₹250 crore to your 9-month-old grandson and you pay that employee Rs 3.6 lakhs per annum.”
Also read: Why Japan PM Takaichi is under fire over a ‘3 am meeting’
India already works long hours
According to early 2025 data from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Indian employees already put in an average of 46.7 hours a week, with over half working more than 49 hours. That’s significantly higher than in many countries in Western Europe.
But longer schedules come with a cost. The ILO notes that such extended working hours are linked to mental health challenges, reduced family time, and long-term well-being issues.
For many Indians, work stretches far beyond official shifts. Long commutes, traffic, and demanding tasks often consume most of the day. So the idea of adding even more hours feels at odds with how people are actually living and working.
A 2024 Indeed India Work-Life Balance Survey found that 88 per cent of employees receive work messages outside office hours, and 85 per cent are contacted even when they are on sick leave or holiday.
The report also shows how this affects health: 52 per cent of workers linked poor work-life balance to burnout. In other words, people are giving more of their time, but getting less space to rest and recover.
With input from agencies