Maximum Delay for Minimum Wages

In light of the workers’ protests that took place earlier this year, the Haryana government notified a nearly 35% hike in minimum wages, effective from 1 April 2026. Under the revised rates, the daily wage for unskilled workers now stands at Rs. 582.4, for semi-skilled workers it stands at Rs. 645.41, while highly skilled workers are entitled to Rs. 747.14 per day. 

For the housekeeping staff at Ashoka University, the implications of this revision remained unclear; nevertheless, the state-wide notification would suggest that their salaries, which were previously reported to be Rs. 11,274 per month, ought to be revised to an upward of Rs. 15,220 in accordance with the new minimum wage structure. The monthly wages that the workers receive also include other sums, such as the House Rent Allowance (HRA) or the conveyance allowance, that help cover rental accommodation costs and travel costs, respectively. The final amount that the workers receive has consistently been a sum of the official salary and the allowances. With the recent increase in minimum wage, the average housekeeping worker who is classified in the ‘unskilled’ category is now entitled to a salary of Rs. 15,220 and an allowance of Rs. 3,382, resulting in a total amount of around Rs. 18,602. 

In photo: A payslip of the average housekeeping worker before the salary increase announcement.

In a conversation with The Edict, Diya Shukla*, a housekeeping worker, noted that the minimum wage increase has not yet been implemented for May, leaving most workers anticipating next month's payroll to see if the numbers change. When asked about whether anything had been mentioned about wages, Diya mentioned, “Pichhle mahine HR ne meeting mai bola tha ki abhi kuchh nahi pata, agle mahine tak wait karni hai” (In a meeting last month, HR had mentioned that nothing is known yet and to wait till next month). She also voiced a widespread concern among housekeeping staff: rather than simply raising the base minimum wage to align with recent revisions, the contractors, along with the mediating Ashoka administration, might integrate the pre-existing allowance into the total salary. This would make the total appear as Rs. 15,220 on paper, in accordance with the increased minimum wage, but the workers will actually receive lower salaries due to the loss of the separate allowances. Additionally, as allowances are not taxed, amalgamating them with the total salary actually leaves workers with a reduced disposable income. 

In conversations with Manish Kumar*, another housekeeping worker, we were told that communication about the new minimum wage has been vague. “Jab bhi salary badne ki baat aati thi, toh meetings me koi aur mudda utha lete the” — whenever workers raise the issue of salary increases, other matters are brought up. He echoed Diya’s concern that management was deliberately avoiding the topic and that no clear information had been shared with staff. 

To complicate matters further, Ashoka University’s workforce is employed through multiple contractor firms, so outcomes may vary by department. The security staff, hired via G4S, did see higher April wages after they were reclassified as ‘semi-skilled’ workers instead of ‘surakshakarmi,’ according to the updated labour laws from the Haryana government.

In photo: A payslip from security showing the distribution in accordance with the wage increase (censored for anonymity)

By contrast, individuals in the dining team allegedly faced reductions in their conveyance allowances with HRAs being merged into their  salaries to meet minimum wage requirements. Housekeeping staff, hired via Bluspring (formerly Quess) and its subsidiary Avon, have seen no change since May, despite the fact that the new minimum wage structure was to be put in effect by April 1st, 2026. According to Manish, managers have said that the workers will start receiving increments of Rs.500 every six months, yet this has not been the case and increases in wages have only amounted to a total of Rs.200-Rs.300 per year. “Gardners, maintenance, sab ke aise hi halaat hai” (The situation is the same for the gardeners and maintenance workers). 

Workers share the concern that the salaries they receive in June will see the aforementioned decrease as Ashoka and the contractor companies attempt to meet minimum wage requirements without actually increasing the wages. The limited clarity in communication surrounding these changes could potentially delay wage restructuring until the campus is largely empty. This reduces the scope for student and faculty support, which emerged as vital during the workers’ protest in Monsoon 2025. 

For now, housekeeping workers at Ashoka remain uncertain about whether the minimum wage increase by the state will actually result in higher wages. They urge that the University and its contractors act now, and abide by the revised minimum wage while preserving the separate allowances that the workers’ have been receiving.

*This interviewee wished to remain anonymous, and this is a placeholder name.

(Edited by Avika Mantri and Anamta Husain)