Gig Work in India: Between Structural Compulsion and Voluntary Choice

This paper assesses whether the expansion of gig work in India reflects voluntary worker preference or structural compulsion arising from underlying labour market conditions. It explores the possibility that gig labour supply is shaped by factors such as informality, underemployment, and limited formal job creation, rather than being driven solely by a preference for flexible work arrangements. The analysis is guided by a theoretical framework drawing on the Lewis dual-sector model, Rodrik's concept of premature deindustrialisation, and a push-pull approach to labour market entry. Empirically, the paper adopts a quantitative descriptive approach using a time-series analysis for the period 2017-18 to 2020-21. Gig workforce size is treated as the dependent variable, while the unemployment rate and the share of self-employment are used as indicators of labour market conditions. Pearson correlation coefficients are computed to examine the direction of association between these variables. The analysis draws on secondary data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Annual Reports, along with gig workforce estimates from NITI Aayog (2022) and the Economic Survey 2025-26. In addition, the paper undertakes a qualitative assessment of the classification frameworks of the PLFS and the eShram portal to evaluate whether gig workers can be identified as a distinct category. The results show that gig workforce growth coincides with rising self-employment and falling unemployment. While the limited number of observations precludes causal inference, this pattern is consistent with the possibility that entry into gig work may be shaped more by constrained access to regular salaried employment than by a purely voluntary preference for flexibility. The paper contributes by analysing gig work through the lens of structural compulsion and voluntary choice, and by identifying gaps in official data systems and enumerations that limit the visibility of gig workers.