Narayana Murthy reignites 72-hour work week debate, cites China’s 9-9-6 culture

Infosys founder Narayana Murthy has once again advocated for significantly longer working hours in India, this time drawing on China’s controversial 9-9-6 work culture as an example. Speaking in an interview with Republic TV, the 79-year-old billionaire referenced the practice followed by some Chinese companies, where employees work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week — amounting to a 72-hour work week.

The 9-9-6 system, associated largely with Chinese tech firms over the past decade, has been widely criticised for its highly demanding nature, with concerns raised over stress levels, health implications, and poor work-life balance. In 2021, China’s Supreme Court declared the practice illegal, though the extent of real-world enforcement remains unclear.

Despite the backlash the model has attracted, Murthy spoke about it as a positive benchmark while reiterating the stance he had taken in 2023, when he argued that Indians should work 70 hours a week for the sake of national development. He informed the channel that the so-called 9-9-6 principle — effectively 72 hours a week — was something young Indians should emulate. He added that one should first “get a life and then worry about work-life balance”.

Murthy’s remarks immediately rekindled debate across social media, where a large share of the reaction was negative. Critics highlighted issues such as the absence of overtime pay in India, the lack of fair distribution of organisational gains from top to junior levels, the health risks associated with extended working hours, and concerns around stagnating wages and the broader implications of centring life around work.