The Kerala government will consult service organisations on October 17 on a proposal to reduce the working week in government offices to five days, with Saturdays declared holidays alongside Sundays. The decision could reshape how citizens access government services while also changing leave and working arrangements for state employees.
The online meeting has been convened by the principal secretary of the General Administration Department and is scheduled for 11am. Service organisations have been asked to submit their views by Monday. Chief Secretary-level participation is also expected, according to the Times of India report.
Several employee organisations have welcomed the possibility of a two-day weekend. Representatives from organisations affiliated with both the Left and the Congress-led United Democratic Front are expected to take part in the consultation, and both Left- and Right-leaning groups are broadly reported to support introducing a five-day work week.
The main dispute concerns what the government may offer or change in return for the additional weekly holiday. Some organisations have opposed any move to reduce existing public holidays or casual leave benefits. Joint Council general secretary K P Gopakumar said employee leave entitlements and other rights should not be curtailed as part of the proposed reform.
The proposal is not new to Kerala’s administrative policy debate. It had featured in the recommendations of the previous Pay Revision Commission and in the report of the Administrative Reforms Commission headed by former chief minister V S Achuthanandan. The government is now considering the issue in the context of administrative efficiency and employee welfare.
For citizens, the central question is whether fewer regular working days would affect access to government offices and routine administrative services. Critics of the proposal have argued that reducing the number of working days could limit the opportunities available to residents who need to visit government departments in person. The source report does not specify which services or departments would be covered, or whether any alternative access arrangements are being considered.
The consultation will therefore have to address two linked issues: the employment conditions of government staff and the continuity of public-facing administration. Service organisations are expected to oppose any reduction in existing leave entitlements if it is made a condition for introducing the two-day weekend. The government’s final decision is expected to depend on the feedback received during the consultation process.
