National Social Security Board for Unorganised, Gig and Platform Workers Notified

The Ministry of Labour and Employment has notified the constitution of the National Social Security Board for Unorganised Workers and Gig & Platform Workers under the Code on Social Security, 2020. The notification was issued on 30 October 2026.

The Board is intended to strengthen India’s social security framework for workers outside traditional employer-employee arrangements. It will cover unorganised workers, gig workers and platform workers, including people whose work is arranged through digital platforms or short-term task-based engagements.

The Board will be chaired by the Union Minister for Labour and Employment and will include representatives from the Central and State Governments, employers, aggregator companies, workers’ organisations, civil society groups and gig and platform worker associations. It is required to meet at least three times a year.

Its main functions include recommending welfare schemes to the Central Government, advising on implementation of the Social Security Code, monitoring centrally administered welfare schemes, reviewing record-keeping at the State level and examining expenditure from social security funds.

The move is significant because the Code on Social Security, 2020 expressly recognises gig workers and platform workers within India’s social security system. The Code allows schemes relating to life and disability cover, accident insurance, health and maternity benefits, and old-age protection. It also provides for a Social Security Fund to support such schemes.

India’s broader social-security architecture for unorganised workers also includes the e-Shram portal, which provides registered workers with a Universal Account Number and links them with welfare and employment-related services.

Why Is This Important for CLAT?

This development is relevant for CLAT because it connects labour law, welfare policy and the changing nature of employment.

• Code on Social Security, 2020: Consolidates multiple social-security laws into one framework.
• Gig workers: People earning through short-term, task-based or flexible work arrangements.
• Platform workers: Workers whose services are organised through online platforms or apps.
• National Social Security Board: Recommends and monitors welfare measures for these categories.
• Social Security Fund: Can support welfare schemes for gig and platform workers.
• e-Shram: National database and service platform for unorganised workers.

For CLAT preparation, the topic can also be linked with labour reforms, social welfare, the gig economy, digital platforms and the Directive Principles of State Policy relating to worker protection.