Key Takeaways
- Rupifi CEO Anubhav Jain supports Narayana Murthy’s call for 9-9-6 work culture
- Jain argues longer hours are needed for India’s economic growth
- China’s Supreme Court ruled 9-9-6 illegal in 2021 due to health concerns
- Labor groups describe the system as “modern-day slavery”
Rupifi CEO Anubhav Jain has endorsed Infosys founder Narayana Murthy’s controversial call for young Indians to adopt longer working hours, stating India “needs more 9-9-6 today” to accelerate economic growth.
In a LinkedIn post, Jain framed extended workweeks as a commitment to nation-building rather than hustle culture glorification. He emphasized that India requires professionals willing to “work harder, push boundaries and contribute meaningfully” to national progress.
The 9-9-6 Work Model Explained
The 9-9-6 system refers to working from 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week – a model that powered China’s tech boom but was ruled illegal by China’s Supreme Court in 2021.
Murthy recently told Republic TV that India’s youth should prioritize hard work over comfort, citing China’s economic ascent as evidence of the 9-9-6 model’s effectiveness.
Controversy and Legal Status
Despite Murthy and Jain’s support, the 9-9-6 system faces strong criticism globally. Labor organizations and researchers have described it as “modern-day slavery” due to its demanding, often unsafe work conditions.
China’s Supreme People’s Court specifically ruled 12-hour workdays illegal following concerns over worker deaths and stress-related suicides linked to extreme schedules.
Under Chinese labor law, the workweek is capped at 44 hours across six days, with overtime limited to 36 hours monthly that must be compensated. The 2021 ruling reinforced these protections, though some companies continue implementing 9-9-6 informally.
Jain, who co-founded Bengaluru-based B2B digital financing platform Rupifi in 2018, argued that responsibility for national development extends beyond founders to professionals across all sectors who should contribute more time and effort.
