Skilling India’s Gig Workers: Policy Gaps and Industry’s Role

India’s gig and platform economy is expanding rapidly, creating new employment opportunities across a range of skill levels. Young demographics, increasing digital adoption, and urbanization are supporting the growth of this segment.

India’s gig workforce is projected to increase from 7.7 million in 2020–21 to 23.5 million by 2029–30. According to NITI Aayog,  47% of gig workers were engaged in medium-skilled jobs in 2020–21, while 22% were in high-skilled and 31% in low-skilled jobs.

The composition of the workforce is also expected to evolve as the gig economy expands. While medium-skilled jobs are projected to remain the largest category through 2029–30, the share of high-skilled and low-skilled workers is expected to increase. This points to a gig workforce that is likely to become more diverse in terms of skills, including a growing presence of workers in specialised and technical roles.

The Current Policy Landscape

Recognising the growing role of the gig and platform economy, the Government has formally recognised gig and platform workers under the Code on Social Security, 2020. The Code, which came into force on 21 November 2025, provides a statutory framework for extending social security coverage to gig and platform workers and provides for the framing of schemes for their welfare and social security.

Gig and platform workers can also register on the Government’s e-Shram portal, which is creating a national database of unorganised workers to support the delivery of social security and welfare schemes, skilling initiatives and evidence-based policymaking. As of December 2025, more than 310 Mn unorganised workers had registered on e-Shram, including over 5ook gig and platform workers.

On the skilling front, the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) is providing access to skilling, reskilling and certification opportunities, including National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF)-aligned qualifications and digital learning programmes. These platforms are supporting the formalisation, skilling and social security coverage of a workforce that is becoming an increasingly important part of India’s labour market.

Gig workers can access existing schemes for unorganised workers, including skilling initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), rather than dedicated schemes designed exclusively for gig and platform workers. This can limit the extent to which existing programmes address the specific requirements of gig work, including flexible work arrangements, variable incomes and changing skill demands.

The distinct identification of gig and platform workers in official labour and employment data is also evolving. More granular data can support a clearer assessment of the size and characteristics of the workforce and help inform targeted policy interventions.

Access to institutional credit remains another area for consideration, particularly for workers seeking to transition into micro-entrepreneurship or establish independent businesses. Credit assessment based on cash flows and transaction histories, alongside conventional collateral-based lending, could help expand access for workers with limited credit histories or assets.

Industry’s Role in Skilling

Industry-led skilling and upskilling programmes can support improvements in worker productivity, earnings and career mobility. Such programmes can also help workers from traditional and informal occupations, including construction and driving, transition into platform-enabled opportunities and diversify their income sources.

Industry could also explore portable digital skill profiles or passports that allow workers to document and demonstrate their qualifications, certifications and experience across jobs and platforms. Such a framework could support career progression and encourage continuous skill development as workers move across different forms of employment.

Industry participation can further support gender sensitisation and accessibility awareness among workers, while creating more opportunities for women and persons with disabilities. The flexibility of platform-based work can potentially help expand workforce participation among groups that face barriers to conventional forms of employment.

Gig workers are becoming an important part of India’s workforce, making their transition towards more secure, recognised and sustainable livelihoods increasingly relevant. Digital infrastructure provides an important foundation, while industry participation can complement it through skilling, certification and inclusive employment practices. 

Targeted skilling, portable skills and credentials, and access to social security benefits such as life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits and pensions can strengthen the foundations of India’s gig workforce. Combined with industry-relevant skills and greater opportunities for career mobility, these measures can help India harness its demographic dividend and build a more resilient and future-ready workforce.