For many years, the 1948 Factories Act banned women from working between 7 PM and 6 AM. Originally yeh rule aurato ki protection ke liye hi banaya gaya tha, but gradually it became discriminatory by limiting job opportunities for women.
In the early 2000s, important court rulings started challenging this ban, and slowly states began updating their own laws. By the mid-2010s, Maharashtra, Haryana aur baaki states ne women ko night shifts allow karna shuru kiya with consent and strict safety measures.
In 2025, Uttar Pradesh brought in a similar amendment in November, following Delhi’s October reform. Online thoda backlash hua, but the policy itself was in line with the national trend.
The major turning point came on 21 November 2025, when India’s four new Labour Codes came into effect. These codes now allow women to work night shifts nationwide, with mandatory safeguards. It’s considered a significant step toward gender equality and wider participation of women in the workforce.
