30 October 2026
Why in the News
The Ministry of Labour and Employment has notified the constitution of the National Social Security Board (NSSB) - under Section 6(1) of the Social Security Code, 2020 for unorganised workers, and the same board will work for gig and platform workers under Section 114(6). The board has been constituted for a three-year term by gazette notification S.O. 5884(E), dated 28 October 2026 (published on 29 October); the PIB release of 30 October 2026 made its formal announcement.
Structure of the constitution: Chairperson - the Union Minister of Labour and Employment; Vice-Chairperson - the Labour and Employment Secretary; 40 positions in total (the remaining 38 members from central ministries, state governments, trade unions, employers' organisations, Members of Parliament and experts). For gig-platform workers, the board's members from serial numbers 3 to 40 change - these include representatives of aggregator companies (Eternal Group, Swiggy, Zepto, Urban Company, Rapido), worker unions (IFAT, BMS, NFITU, TUCC), the Director General of ESIC, the Central Provident Fund Commissioner of EPFO, experts of the V.V. Giri National Labour Institute and the Dattopant Thengadi Board, and labour-department representatives of five states; the Joint Secretary (Labour) is the Member-Secretary.
The Board's Functions and Conditions
According to the PIB release, the board's functions are -
- Scheme recommendation: recommending to the central government the making of suitable schemes for different sections of unorganised, gig and platform workers;
- Advice: advising the central government on matters referred to it relating to the administration of the Code;
- Monitoring: reviewing the implementation of centrally administered social welfare schemes;
- Record-keeping review: reviewing record-maintenance work done at the state level;
- Fund-expenditure review: examining expenditure from the relevant funds and accounts; and
- Other functions: responsibilities assigned by the central government from time to time.
The board must meet at least three times a year, and its procedure will run according to rules prescribed by the central government.
Why This Constitution Matters
Process completeness of the labour codes: The four labour codes formed by merging 29 central labour laws have been in force since 21 November 2025. The Social Security Code, 2020 is a consolidation of nine old laws, and for the first time it brought statutory definitions of gig worker, platform worker and aggregator. The Social Security (Central) Rules, 2026 were notified in May 2026. The board's constitution is the last institutional link in this sequence - law, rules and now the decision-making body.
Stakeholders at the table for the first time: In the gig-worker board, aggregator companies, worker unions, the government and experts will sit together. This tripartite structure extends the tradition of Indian labour governance to the digital platform economy.
Financial base ready: The Code provides that aggregators will contribute 1-2 per cent of their annual turnover (capped at a maximum of 5 per cent of payments made to workers) to the Social Security Fund, from which schemes such as life-accident insurance, health-maternity and old-age protection will run.
Database ready: A national database of unorganised workers has been built on the e-Shram portal (since 26 August 2021) - about 31.9 crore registrations by August 2026. Under the rules, aggregators must share details of existing workers within a fixed period and of new workers on a real-time/daily basis; for scheme benefits, working 90 days with one aggregator or 120 days across several aggregators in the previous financial year is the eligibility condition.
Size of the sector: According to official estimates, the country's gig workforce is about 1 crore in 2024-25, projected to become about 2.35 crore by 2029-30.
Way Forward
The constitution is only the beginning. The board's real tests will be - timely collection of aggregator contributions into the fund, the constitution of unorganised worker boards at the state level, and the benefits of announced schemes actually reaching workers. Accountability will have to be ensured through the minimum frequency of meetings (three a year) and published procedure. The veracity of e-Shram registrations and compliance with platform data-sharing will also remain under watch.
Mains Practice Question
"The constitution of the National Social Security Board is an institutional chapter in the direction of linking gig and unorganised workers in India with a formal security framework." In the light of this statement, discuss the board's possibilities and challenges. (Write the answer in 250 words. 15 marks)
Answer Outline
Introduction: Give the context of the Social Security Code, 2020 and the board's constitution through the notification of 28 October 2026.
Main Body: Possibilities - tripartite representation, the Social Security Fund, the e-Shram database, definitional clarity, the statutory functions of scheme recommendation and monitoring. Challenges - collection of contributions, constitution of state boards, implementation of eligibility conditions (90/120 days), workers' real access, the adequacy of three meetings a year.
Conclusion: To go from institution to outcome, emphasise financial discipline, data compliance and state-centre coordination.
Prelims Practice Questions
Question 1. Consider the following statements about the National Social Security Board (NSSB):
1. It has been constituted under Section 6(1) of the Social Security Code, 2020
2. For gig and platform workers, the same board will work under Section 114(6)
3. The board's term is five years and its chairperson is the Union Finance Minister
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) Only 1 and 2
(b) Only 2 and 3
(c) Only 1
(d) 1, 2 and 3
See answer and explanation
Answer and Explanation
Answer: (a) Only 1 and 2. Statement 3 is wrong - according to the notification, the board's term is three years and the chairperson is the Union Minister of Labour and Employment, not the Finance Minister.
Question 2. Consider the following statements about the Social Security Code, 2020:
1. For the first time it gives the definitions of gig worker, platform worker and aggregator
2. It is a consolidation of nine old central social security laws
3. It is one of the four labour codes in force since 21 November 2025
Which of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only 1 and 2
(b) Only 2 and 3
(c) Only 1 and 3
(d) 1, 2 and 3
See answer and explanation
Answer and Explanation
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3. All three statements are correct - the four labour codes are in force since 21 November 2025; the Social Security Code merges nine laws and contains the first statutory definitions of gig/platform workers and aggregators.
Sources and References
- PIB: Constitution of the National Social Security Board notified, 30 October 2026
- PRS Legislative Research: Explanation of the Social Security (Central) Rules, 2026
- PIB: Implementation of the four labour codes - key features, November 2025
The detail of the board's structure and term is based on gazette notification S.O. 5884(E) dated 28 October 2026 (published on 29 October 2026); the function detail is from the PIB release. The e-Shram registration figure is from the PIB release of August 2026.
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