WorklifeIndia

In India, some schools have begun to partially reopen after months of closure. But for most of the country’s 320 million students, education has remained severely impacted since the lockdown began. While urban areas recorded an exponential increase in e-learning, the smaller towns and villages struggled to continue education in any form. Nearly 75 percent of children found themselves on the wrong side of the digital education divide, with no internet access. In rural parts of the country, the situation turned worse, with many children forced into income-generating labour and even early marriage.

So, how can India bridge the widening gap in education? Is e-learning for schools here to stay? And what can the government do to offer better infrastructure and learning services?

In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss the stark learning gap amongst the world’s youngest population.

Presenter: Devina Gupta

A new draft law on environmental impact assessment in India has sparked a debate. Critics say it is investor-friendly and will make it easier for industrial and infrastructure projects to get clearances, which may lead to severe environmental consequences. They also blame the government for trying to rush through the crucial law during a lockdown.

India, on the other hand, is facing its worst job crisis ever. The country’s GDP contracted by nearly 24% in the first quarter of 2020. And for PM Modi’s administration, it is crucial to quickly revive the crashing economy.

So, can India balance growth with protection of its environment? Or should creating jobs get priority?

In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we question if the environmental cost of economic recovery is too high, and whether green jobs offer a better alternative for growth.

Presenter: Divya Arya

India is staring at its sharpest growth contraction on record. With more than five million Covid-19 cases so far, the country has announced a nearly 24 per cent slump in its economy in the three months to the end of June this year. Experts fear further disruptions in growth as businesses continue to bleed.

So, what is the way out of this crisis? Would a revival in growth ultimately hinge upon a recovery in the pandemic curve? And how quickly can the Narendra Modi-led government get that under control to determine India’s economic fate?

In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss the impact of the contraction on Indian companies and consumers, and what can be done to revive India’s growth story.

India has more than 630 million internet subscribers - that is more than the population of the US, the UK, Russia and South Africa put together. India also has among the world’s cheapest mobile data prices and affordable devices, which has drastically improved internet access in the last few years.

All of this excitement, however, has the sobering reality of India's continuing digital divide. For every Indian who has access to the internet, there is at least one who does not - and that person most likely lives in a rural area. The coronavirus pandemic and its resulting lockdowns are pushing everyone unexpectedly toward an online-only environment, and the spotlight has now shifted to rural India.

So, in this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss how the pandemic is forcing a change toward digital lifestyles in the country.

The global live events industry has essentially been shuttered since March 2020. With little to no activity, many artists - and their road crew - have been severely impacted. For India’s nearly 10 million people employed in the industry, the cost has been great, and the hardships many.

Many performers have taken to live-streaming in an effort to stay afloat, or to just stay positive. Many others are participating in virtual concerts, saying it offers them a much-needed creative outlet and builds a sense of community for artists and audiences alike.

But do virtual gigs make up for the loss of income as the touring circuit effectively remains shut down?

In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we look at the nitty gritty of how live performers are adapting to online shows.

India has a poor record of women’s participation in the workforce. Less than a quarter of women were employed before the pandemic, ranking India among the bottom 10 countries in the world in terms of women’s employment.

But the pandemic is making matters worse, with more women than men dropping out of jobs. In fact, recent studies estimate that four out of five women are currently not working in India. The situation is said to be particularly stressful in the informal sector, which employs nearly 80% of all working women.

So, what is the ground reality? What do employment trends in urban and rural areas tell us? And what are the other challenges women face as extra chores are added during the pandemic?

In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss if Covid is worsening the women’s employment crisis, and what can be done to make more Indian women join the paid workforce.

Presenter: Devina Gupta

Contributors: Neha Bagaria, founder & CEO, JobsForHer; Sabina Dewan, president & executive director, JustJobs; Soumya Kapoor Mehta, head, IWWAGE

India’s film industry is among the largest in the world. It releases around 2,000 films every year and attracts a steady band of actors hoping to make their fortune. Most of them head to Mumbai where the hugely popular Hindi film industry, also known as Bollywood, is based.

But it’s an uphill battle. On the surface, glamour, fame, and pomp form its biggest appeal, but underneath, harsh prejudices, fierce competition, and toxic rivalry run deep.

So, what are the positives and the pitfalls that aspiring actors endure? And how has the journey been like for those who’ve earned name and fame? In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss Bollywood and its hidden cost for stardom.

Presenter: Devina Gupta

Contributors: Adil Hussain, Bollywood actor; Anupama Chopra, film critic; Sahiba Bali, actor

From academic success to social skills, mental health and future jobs, the coronavirus pandemic is a crisis for today’s youth. And the fallout may follow them for a much longer time than most imagine.

According to a recent study by the United Nations, the pandemic has already forced more than one in six people under the age of 29 into unemployment.

So what happens to a country like India, where half the population is under the age of 24? Is continued social isolation affecting their mental health? How are they coping with uncertainty about the future, and what are their aspirations?

Many companies are offering flexible and remote work till next year, to keep employees safe. According to a recent study, job searches for work-from-home in the country have surged to a whopping 442% between the months of February and July – the highest globally.

But even as firms begin to notice the benefits of work-from-home during these challenging times, remote workers are now complaining of emotional and physical exhaustion, stress, anxiety, and in some cases, even depression.

So, how can managers and team leaders address staff woes while keeping the business functional? And what innovative ways are mental health experts advising to keep stress at bay?

We discuss what are the best measures to avoid work-from-home burnout.

Photo: A software engineer works from home in India during the lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic

The audio for this episode was updated on 11th August 2020.

A landmark case against a tech giant in the US has made news recently. Regulators in the state of California sued IT firm Cisco for allegedly discriminating against an Indian-American employee on the basis of his caste. The company has denied the allegations.

Caste system, which is outlawed in India, is a social ranking practice, which determines the work you do, the religious practices you can follow and even the relationships you can have. Those at the bottom rung of the system are often referred to as ‘untouchables’. And with many Indians migrating to the US for better job opportunities, caste bias has become an uncomfortable reality there as well.

In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we look at India’s unwanted export, and how Indians working in tech firms in the US feel discriminated against because of their caste.

Presenter: Devina Gupta

Photo:A protestor holds a placard in a protest against killing of Dalit low-caste youth in Nepall, June 2020 Credit: Getty Images