A fresh debate has opened up online after Infosys founder Narayana Murthy once again spoke about the need for extremely long working hours. His comments have drawn attention because he used China’s infamous
‘996’ work culture as an example.
In a recent interview, Murthy tried to explain why he feels that progress only comes through effort. He said that throughout his life, one theme has stayed constant for him: “No individual, no community, no country has ever come up without hard work.”
He also repeated his view that people should “get a life and then worry about work-life balance.”
Pointing To China’s 996 Work Culture
“Last year, Catamaran senior and middle-level staff went to China, and they went to tier 1 cities, tier 2 cities and tier 3 cities. They stayed in tier 3 kind of hotels because we wanted to understand the real China. And you know there is a saying there, 9,9, 6. You know what it means? 9 am to 9 pm, 6 days a week. And that is 72 hours a week,” the Infosys founder said in an interview with Republic TV.
Murthy also mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi works for nearly 100 hours a week and said this could serve as an example for young working professionals.
‘We’re Humans, Not Machines’: Internet Reacts With Strong Reactions
A long chain of reactions began online after Murthy’s remarks circulated widely. People from different work backgrounds shared their own concerns, frustrations and humour through comments.
One user commented, “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. Please guide India in the right direction, uncle. We wanna ‘live’ !!”
Another said, “Sir, we are already spending 9 to 9, 12 hours in traffic.”
“You can’t expect 100 km mileage on a drop of oil; similarly, one cannot expect to work overtime with a peanut salary and 0 hike,” someone else remarked.
A sarcastic comment read, “72-hour work week: Because who needs sleep when you have deadlines and chai?”
Others questioned the pay gap with an individual saying, “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.”
A user pointed out, “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.”
“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,” read another comment.
What Is The 996 Rule In China?
The 996 rule refers to a tough work routine followed in many Chinese companies where employees are expected to work from 9 AM to 9 PM, six days a week. This adds up to 72 hours a week and has become known as part of China’s fast-paced work culture. Several top entrepreneurs in the country, including Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma, once supported this style. But many people criticised it strongly and described it as “modern slavery.”
Over time, concerns around 996 grew sharper. According to a Reuters report, the Chinese government moved to stop such schedules and declared them illegal in 2021. The same year, major tech firms such as ByteDance and Tencent also began distancing themselves from it. Reuters noted that this shift came after a 22-year-old employee at e-commerce company Pinduoduo collapsed and died while returning home past midnight.
China’s labour law actually sets clear limits. Employees should not work more than eight hours a day or more than 44 hours a week. Overtime is also restricted to one hour a day or up to three hours only if health conditions allow, and not more than 36 hours in a month. These limits match guidelines recommended by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
Even with these rules, long working hours continue in many places. The reasons are linked to weak enforcement of labour laws, pressure to meet company targets and low minimum wages, which make overtime common in several industries.
