One of the key labour market developments observed throughout the world in recent years is the phenomenon of labour market segmentation which increases the complexity and narratives on the discourse on Future of Work. Segmentation drives the division of the labour market into separate submarkets, distinguished by different characteristics and behavioural rules. Segmentation arises from particularities of labour market institutions, such as governing contractual arrangements (segmentation along permanent/temporary nature of employment contracts), from lack of enforcement (segmentation along formal/informal (unorganised) line) types of workers concerned (such as migrant and non-migrant workers), gendered division of work (Paid and unpaid work) and social identity which divides the workforce between those engaged in the Dirt Work and Non-Dirt Work. As argued by Kalleberge (2010) when the economy goes through a rapid transition and the state-business relationship get altered, existing social institutions and norms reproduces the social division of labour based on the aforesaid markers which is less desirable and promote lack of social cohesion within the society. With further changes in the state-business relationship, the task of promoting Decent Work and Dignified Working Life, becomes complex and inextricable to account for rapid changes in the technology, reinforcement of social institutions and lack of coverage of legal institutions. As a result, the economy witnesses a sharp increase in the precarious workforce which are uncertain, unstable and mostly vulnerable. This workforce internalizes work-related risks and works at the margin of precarity. Given this context, this seminar will provide a macro picture of the state of working in India. Using the theoretical insights from Labour Market Segmentation and Institutional Economy, we will examine the trends, determinants and structure of various forms of segmentation in the organized and unorganised sector in India. Robust empirical analysis will be carried out using various rounds of EUS, IHDS and NFHS surveys of India.  Results drawn from this seminar will be used to examine the potential challenges for the Future of Work in India.

Bio-sketch of the Speaker

Dr. Rahul Suresh Sapkal is an Assistant Professor (Economics and Public Policy) at National Law University Mumbai. He holds PhD degree in Law and Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands. He works in the areas of Applied Econometrics, Economics of Inequality, Theory of Firm, Labor Economics, Law and Economics, Corporate Governance, Industrial Relations, Development Economics, Microeconometrics, and Institutional Economics. Currently, Dr. Sapkal is a visiting research fellow at Rotterdam Institute of Law and Economics, The Netherlands for the academic year 2018-19 (summer). Prior to joining MNLU Mumbai, Dr. Sapkal has worked as a researcher with CORD-UNICEF; International Labor Organization, New Delhi and Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. Dr. Sapkal has widely published and is a referee to various international economic journals of repute such as European Journal of Law and Economics, Economic and Political Weekly, Research in Sociology of Work, Benchmarking: An International Journal, International Review of Income and Wealth, and Asian Journal of Law and Economics.  Dr. Sapkal is a member of editorial board of Workers Solidarity Network (WSN) of Action Aid (India) and Decent Work Agenda of RILES, The Netherlands. He has been awarded the prestigious Reserve Bank of India, Faculty Research Fellowship – 2017-18 for the project title, “Financial Development, Labour & Product Market Regulation and Firm Performance: The Story of India” and Azim Premji Research Grant for the academic year 2018-19 for the project titled, “Judicial Quality, Contract Enforcement and the Firm Performance: Empirical Evidence from India”. Recently, Dr Sapkal has submitted a research report titled, “Analysis of Amendments in the Child & Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act of  2016: Evidences from Indian Case Laws”, supported by CRY India.