Karnataka IT sector faces extended work hours
Karnataka's government wants to let IT and related companies extend daily work hours from nine to 10, with up to 12 hours including overtime.
The move, meant to attract investment, quickly set off a wave of memes online—many calling it "Narayana Murthy hours"—with people worried about losing personal time and balance.
Internet flooded with jokes about longer workdays
Social media is full of jokes and posts about longer days, endless commutes, and unpaid overtime.
Many young professionals say this could make anxiety worse and eat into family time, especially since other countries are moving toward shorter workweeks.
Union calls proposal 'modern-day slavery'
The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) called the proposal "modern-day slavery" and warned it could shrink the workforce by a third if companies switch to two long shifts.
KITU also pointed out that most young corporate workers already struggle with anxiety—and fear this change will only make things tougher.