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Groups push for legislated minimum wage for Indian domestic workers
Most of Indian domestic workers are migrants from small towns and villages who seek jobs in large cities; many of them are young girls who are exploited, says an advocate for workers' rights
- PUBLISHED: Sat 14 Feb 2026, 7:00 AM
The fate of millions of Indian domestic workers, most of who are women, continues to be precarious as governments across the country refuse to introduce legislation to protect them.
Recently, the Indian Supreme Court bemoaned the fate of these workers and urged the states to evolve “suitable mechanisms” to bring them under the legal protection and get the benefits of the minimum wages law.
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The court allowed domestic workers’ unions to submit representations focusing on the grievances of one of the “most exploited” and weakest sections of workers. The unions pointed out that the exclusion of these household workers from the Minimum Wages Act violated their fundamental right against forced labour and the right to life.
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They also urged the apex court to direct state governments to initiate a process to determine the minimum wage for domestic work and to meaningfully engage with and consult the workers in the process.
According to official figures, there are nearly 5 million domestic workers, including over three million women. But the figure is widely off-the-mark; even the International Labour Organisation estimates the total numbers could go up to 80 million across India.
Unfortunately, most of them continue to remain on the sidelines and are ignored by their employers and also by governments.
But chief justice Surya Kant was critical of the role of trade unions in India. “How many industries in this country have been successfully closed, thanks to these trade unions,” he asked. “Traditional industries in this country have been affected by trade unions. As children, we used to see these industries being closed because of them. The trade union leaders are largely responsible for stopping the industrial growth in this country,” he chided the petitioners.
While admitting that there has undoubtedly been exploitation of domestic workers, he said it should have been stopped by making workers aware of their individual rights or ensuring they become skilled.
Fight for basic rights
Sonia George, general secretary of the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) in Kerala, told Khaleej Times that domestic workers are among the most exploited category in India. “Just 14 states have laws relating to minimum wages for these workers,” she said. “They do not have any legal mechanism to protect them.”
According to Sonia, domestic workers also do not have a unified platform to fight for their basic rights. “Our organisation works a lot with them across the country, making them aware of their rights. But we are disappointed as most of their employers are opposed to these measures,” she added.
Sadly, most of the domestic workers are migrants from small towns and villages who seek jobs in the metros and large cities. “Many of them are young girls who are exploited. There is no documentation, they are hired and fired arbitrarily, and many end up committing suicide,” said Sonia, who was also a part of the task force that formulated the draft policy for domestic workers. But it remains only on paper, and most state governments have failed to implement it, she pointed out.
One of the solutions proposed is to include domestic workers in the formal category of workers with regular working hours. There are also proposals to make registration mandatory for domestic workers, employers, and service providers to create accountability and ensure legal protection of both employers and domestic workers.
