Rule 65: Working hours of working journalist
Reviewed by Finin2min Editorial Desk · Last reviewed 30 August 2026
Rule 65 — Governs working hours of working journalist and the rights, duties, powers or procedure expressly stated in this rule. Key operative text: (1) The provisions under this rule shall apply to working journalist but not apply to editors or to correspondents, reporters or news photographers.
Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026 were finally notified under G.S.R. 345(E), 8 May 2026. The Central Rules must be read with the Code and any later amendment/corrigendum.
Finin2min analysis — operative rule mechanics
Operative clauses
- (1) The provisions under this rule shall apply to working journalist but not apply to editors or to correspondents, reporters or news photographers.
- (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1), the following provisions shall apply to every correspondent, reporter or news photographer stationed at the place at which the newspaper establishment in relation to which any such person is employed is situated, namely- (a) subject to such agreement as may be arrived at either collectively or individually between the parties concerned, every such…
- Provided that if such correspondent, reporter or news photographer has had at their disposal for rest any interval or intervals for a total period of two hours or less between any two or more assignments of work, they shall not be deemed to be on duty during such period:
- Provided further that where the total period of such interval or intervals exceeds two hours, they shall be deemed to be on duty during the period which is in excess of the said period of two hours;
- (b) period of working in excess of thirty-six hours during any week, which shall be considered as a unit of work for the purposes of this sub-rule, shall be compensated by rest during the succeeding week and shall be given in one or more spells of not less than three hours each:
Provisos / explanations
- Provided that if such correspondent, reporter or news photographer has had at their disposal for rest any interval or intervals for a total period of two hours or less between any two or more assignments of work, they shall not be deemed to be on duty during such period:
- Provided that where the aggregate of the excess hours worked falls short of three hours, the duration of rest shall be limited only to such excess.
- Provided that no such interval may be allowed if such interval either coincides with or falls within, the interval enjoyed by a working journalist under sub-section
Thresholds & timelines
- Working hours of working journalist.– (1) The provisions under this rule shall apply to working journalist but not apply to editors or to correspondents, reporters or news photographers.
- (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1), the following provisions shall apply to every correspondent, reporter or news photographer stationed at the place at which the newspaper establishment in relation to which any such person is employed is situated, namely- (a) subject to such agreement as may be arrived at either collectively or…
- Provided that if such correspondent, reporter or news photographer has had at their disposal for rest any interval or intervals for a total period of two hours or less between any two or more assignments of work, they shall not be deemed to be on duty during such period:
- Provided further that where the total period of such interval or intervals exceeds two hours, they shall be deemed to be on duty during the period which is in excess of the said period of two hours;
- (b) period of working in excess of thirty-six hours during any week, which shall be considered as a unit of work for the purposes of this sub-rule, shall be compensated by rest during the succeeding week and shall be given in one or more spells of not less than three hours each:
Mapped Code sections
Full notified text — Rule 65
65. Working hours of working journalist.– (1) The provisions under this rule shall apply to working
journalist but not apply to editors or to correspondents, reporters or news photographers.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1), the following provisions shall apply to every
correspondent, reporter or news photographer stationed at the place at which the newspaper
establishment in relation to which any such person is employed is situated, namely-
(a) subject to such agreement as may be arrived at either collectively or individually between the
parties concerned, every such correspondent, reporter or news photographer shall, once enters
upon duty on any day, be deemed to be on duty throughout that day till finishes all the work
assigned during that day:
Provided that if such correspondent, reporter or news photographer has had at
their disposal for rest any interval or intervals for a total period of two hours or less between
any two or more assignments of work, they shall not be deemed to be on duty during such
period:
Provided further that where the total period of such interval or intervals exceeds
two hours, they shall be deemed to be on duty during the period which is in excess of the said
period of two hours;
(b) period of working in excess of thirty-six hours during any week, which shall be considered as
a unit of work for the purposes of this sub-rule, shall be compensated by rest during the
succeeding week and shall be given in one or more spells of not less than three hours each:
Provided that where the aggregate of the excess hours worked falls short of three
hours, the duration of rest shall be limited only to such excess.
(3) The number of hours which shall constitute a normal working day for a working journalist exclusive
of the time for meals shall not exceed six hours per day in the case of a day shift and five and a half
hours per day in the case of a night shift and no working journalist shall ordinarily be required or
allowed to work for longer than the number of hours constituting a normal working day.
(4) Subject to such agreement as may be arrived at between a newspaper establishment and working
journalists employed in that establishment, the periods of work for working journalist shall be so fixed
that no working journalist shall work for more than four hours in the case of a day shift and three hours
in the case of a night shift before they had an interval of rest, in the case of the day shift for one hour,
and in the case of the night shift for half an hour.
(5) When a working journalist work for more than six hours on any day in the case of a day shift and more
than five and a half-hours in the case of a night shift, they shall, in respect of that overtime work, be
compensated in the form of hours of rest equal in number to the hours for which they have worked
overtime or compensated by wages, which shall be twice the rate of wages.
(6) No working journalist shall be employed on a night shift continuously for more than one week at a
time or for more than one week in any period of fourteen days.
(7) In the case of change of shift from night to day shift or vice versa, there shall be an interval of not less
than twenty-four consecutive hours between the two shifts and in the case of a change from one day
shift to another day shift or from one night shift to another night shift there shall be interval of not less
than twelve consecutive hours:
Provided that no such interval may be allowed if such interval either coincides with or falls
within, the interval enjoyed by a working journalist under sub-section (2) of section 25.Application and evidence
- Primary statutory test — (1) The provisions under this rule shall apply to working journalist but not apply to editors or to correspondents, reporters or news photographers.
- Additional operative limb — (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1), the following provisions shall apply to every correspondent, reporter or news photographer stationed at the place at which the newspaper establishment in relation to which any such person is employed is situated, namely- (a) subject to such agreement as may be arrived at either collectively or individually between the parties concerned, every such…
- Qualification / exception to test — Provided that if such correspondent, reporter or news photographer has had at their disposal for rest any interval or intervals for a total period of two hours or less between any two or more assignments of work, they shall not be deemed to be on duty during such period:
- Numerical or timing control — Working hours of working journalist.– (1) The provisions under this rule shall apply to working journalist but not apply to editors or to correspondents, reporters or news photographers.
- Code Section mapping — 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32. Read the mapped provision together with this text rather than treating the concordance as a substitute for it.
Cross-references & prescribed forms
Sections cited/mapped
Forms
No form is directly mapped in the current rule register.
Worked example
For an establishment affected by working hours of working journalist, the compliance owner should identify the applicable sector and authority, document the prescribed control/notice/record and retain inspection or training evidence. A text point to test is: “Working hours of working journalist.– (1) The provisions under this rule shall apply to working journalist but not apply to editors or to correspondents, reporters or news photographers.” Also test the express qualification/proviso before concluding the result. Reconcile the mapped Code Section(s) 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32.
Illustrative only. Use the exact notified rule, prescribed form and competent authority.
Q&A — Rule 65
What is Rule 65 of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026?
Rule 65 — Governs working hours of working journalist and the rights, duties, powers or procedure expressly stated in this rule. Key operative text: (1) The provisions under this rule shall apply to working journalist but not apply to editors or to correspondents, reporters or news photographers.
What does Rule 65 require or permit?
A principal operative clause extracted from the notified rule is: “(1) The provisions under this rule shall apply to working journalist but not apply to editors or to correspondents, reporters or news photographers.” Read it with all sub-rules and provisos below.
Does Rule 65 contain a proviso or explanation?
Yes. One extracted qualification is: “Provided that if such correspondent, reporter or news photographer has had at their disposal for rest any interval or intervals for a total period of two hours or less between any two or more assignments of work, they shall not be deemed to be on duty during such period:”
What deadline, period, percentage or amount appears in Rule 65?
The rule contains this numerical/time expression: “Working hours of working journalist.– (1) The provisions under this rule shall apply to working journalist but not apply to editors or to correspondents, reporters or news photographers.” Apply it only in its notified context.
Which Code sections are linked to Rule 65?
The current concordance maps Rule 65 to Section(s) 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32.
When did Rule 65 come into force?
The final Central Rules were notified as G.S.R. 345(E), 8 May 2026; Rule 1 states that the Rules come into force on publication. Check any later amendment or corrigendum before reliance.