A #WebPolicyTalk series by the #IMPRI Center for Work and Welfare (CWW)
The COVID-19 pandemic has destroyed the livelihood and employment of millions of people across the world. As per an International Labour Organization (ILO) report, nearly 400 million full-time jobs were lost in the current year’s second quarter (April-June 2020) due to COVID-19. This has aggravated the unemployment situation especially in developing regions such as South Asia, where 110 million of the total 235 million full-time jobs were lost in the same period of time. It is estimated that job losses increased by over 400 per cent in South Asia and Africa each since the first quarter of 2020.
There are various reports and surveys estimating huge job losses in the informal sector and the temporary nature of work in services and industrial sectors, particularly in South Asian countries. However, these reports also highlighted some silver linings of the present crisis in the form of an increase in agriculture and gig economy jobs, which are least affected and have future job potential. The job losses during lockdown were huge in the informal sector or among those engaged in casual labour and temporary work. However, survey findings also highlighted that once the lockdown would be over most of them would get back to their casual and informal work.
This is also true in the case of India, where, as per a Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) report, around 6.8 million daily wage earners lost their jobs during April 2020, and around 14.9 million people took to farming during this period. But about 18.9 million salaried people who have lost their jobs during the same period may not get back to employment in the near future as salaried jobs are more difficult to retrieve.

These ballooning numbers of job losses, particularly of full-time salaried jobs, are extremely worrying for policymakers and other stakeholders in India and other South Asian countries today. With this background, the #IMPRI Center for Work and Welfare (CWW), along with Counterview, and Working People’s Charter, is carrying out a discussion series called The State of Employment – #EmploymentDebate to engage with experts on employment issues.
The experts share their insights on the challenges and way forward in achieving quality employment for each segment of society. The series explores the role of governance, corporations, civil society, the populace, and other actors in realizing an equitable society.
The #WebPolicyTalks are conducted via Zoom webinars and streamed live on Facebook. The event video is available on the IMPRI YouTube Channel, thereafter. A recording of the session is also available on the #WebPolicyTalk: Live at IMPRI podcast, on Spotify and Google Podcasts. An event report is published based on the deliberations and wider dissemination takes place through media coverage.




YouTube Playlist: The State of Employment – #EmploymentDebate
The audience is composed mostly of policymakers, practitioners, researchers, faculty, and University and college students across India and other countries.
The outcome of the deliberations is disseminated through various social media platforms and media outlets and is aimed at contributing to the future courses of action for policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and civil society organizations.
Below is the list of #EmploymentDebate events, along with links to the relevant details:
#EmploymentDebate – Events
Panel Discussion
Despondency Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic and Lockdown
20 June, 2020 | 4:45 PM
Panelists : B S Butola | Wendy Olsen | Irudaya Rajan | Utpal K De | Bikash Kumar Malick | R B Bhagat | Manoj Kumar Pant | Bharat Singh
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz | Counterview.net | Delhi Post | Times of India | Doon News | A bit far


Special Lecture
Money, Migration and Missing Capital: Aspects of Inclusive Exclusion and Exclusive Inclusion in the Processes of Development in Uttarakhand
7 July, 2020 | 3 PM
Speaker: B S Butola
Panelists: Shakti Kak | I C Awasthi | Paramita Roychowdhury | Swagata Basu | Tara Shanker Chaudhary | Dhiraj Barman
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz | India Water Portal
Special Lecture
Migration, Migrants and the Right to the City
9 July, 2020 | 3 PM
Speaker: R B Bhagat
Panelists: Bhaswati Das, Bharat Singh, M Ramachandran, Arjun Kumar
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz | Delhi Post News | Counterview.org | Counterview.in


Special Lecture
Migration and the State amid the Covid’19 pandemic
11 July, 2020 | 3 PM
Speaker: Irudaya Rajan
Panelists: Shakti Kak, R P Mamgain, Arvind Pandey, Simi Mehta, Arjun Kumar
Details: Event Page | Event ReportWatch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz | Delhi Post News | Counterview.net
Panel Discussion
Harnessing the Demographic Dividend amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic in India: The Way Forward for Youth Employment and Opportunities
11 July, 2020 | 6:15 PM
Panelists: P C Mohanan | Toshi Wungtung | Balwant Singh Mehta | Vinoj Abraham | Anjana Thampi | Simi Mehta | Arjun Kumar
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz | Youth Ki Awaaz | Counterview.net | Counterview.net | Delhi Post News | India Water Portal

Special Lecture
Agriculture, Food Security and Rural Development amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: Insights, Concerns and the Way Forward for Indian Villages
21 August 2020 | 4:30 PM
Speaker: R S Deshpande
Panelists: S Madheswaran, Sachidanand Sinha, Utpal Kumar, Pradeep Kumar Mehta, A Narayanamoorthy, G Sridevi, D N Reddy, Arjun Kumar
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz | India Water Portal | Counterview.net
Employment Challenges and Way Forward
September 28, 2020 | 4 PM
Speaker : Arup Mitra
Panelist : Balwant Singh Mehta, Arjun Kumar, Bharat Singh, Manorama Bakshi
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth ki Awaaz | Counterview | Delhi Post | Indrastra Global | Net Indian


Labour Migration in South Asia: Shared Concerns
October 1, 2020 | 5:30 PM
Speaker : Babu P Remesh
Panelist : Balwant Singh Mehta, R B Bhagat, Arjun Kumar
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth ki Awaaz | Counterview
Industrial Policy for Innovation and Employment Creation
November 4, 2020 | 5 PM
Speaker: Francis Kuriakose
Panelist : Balwant Singh Mehta, Arjun Kumar
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth ki Awaaz | Counterview.net


Employment Scenario, Policy and AtmaNirbhar packages amid Pandemic: Impact, Challenges and the Way Forward.
December 1, 2020 | 4 PM
Speaker: Dr Radhika Pandey
Panelist: R B Bhagat, Vinoj Abraham, Amrita Pillai, Utpal K De, Arjun Kumar
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz | Counterview.net | Counterview.net
Brazilian Labour Market amid the Coronavirus Pandemic: Impact and the Way Forward.
December 15, 2020 | 6:30 PM
Speaker: Ian Prates
Panelist: Dev Nathan, R B Bhagat, Amrita Pillai, Vinoj Abraham, Arjun Kumar
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz | Counterview.net | Counterview.org | Indrastra


Special Lecture
Labour, Employment and Pandemic: Policy Suggestions and Way Forward for Budget 2021
January 8, 2021 | 6 PM
Speaker: Santosh Mehrotra
Panelists: Prof Dev Nathan, Prof Utpal K De, Prof Sarthi Acharya, Dr Amrita Pillai
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz | Counterview.net | Indrastra Global | India Water Portal
Assuring Farmers’ Income in the context of New Farm Laws: Issues and the way forward
January 15, 2021 | 4 PM
Speaker: A Amarender Reddy
Panelist: P Chengal Reddy, Surabhi Mittal, N Reddy Donthi, Seema Bathla, G V Ramanjaneyulu, Vinoj Abraham
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz | Counterview.net


Panel Discussion
Budget 2021 for #AtmaNirbharKrishi towards New India
January 18, 2021 | 5PM
Speaker: Neelam Patel
Panelists: C S C Sekhar, S P Sharma, Avinash Kishore, Ranveer Nagaich, Neelam Patel, Surabhi Mittal, Arjun Kumar
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz | India Water Portal
Education, Employability & Employment: Understanding the Intersection
February 27, 2021 | 4 PM
Speaker: Sudheesh Venkatesh
Panelist: Sachidanand Sinha
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Counterview.org


Special Lecture
How to enable Indian SMEs to penetrate the Global value chain of TNCs? The need to strengthen regional economic systems
March 12, 2021 | 4 PM
Speaker: M H Bala Subramanya
Panelist: Dev Nathan, Ketan Reddy, Radhika Pandey, Simi Mehta
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth ki Awaaz
Panel Discussion
Impact of COVID-19, Reforms and Poor Governance on Labor Rights
April 08, 2021 | 6 PM
Speaker: Dr K R Shyam Sundar
Panelist: D N Reddy, Praveen Jha, Ramapriya Gopalakrishnan, Radhicka Kapoor, Babu Mathew
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: The Hindu, APN News, Easy Shiksha, B4U, The Telegraph, Youth ki Awaaz, India Education Day.


The State of Employment in India: Impact and the Way Forward, with special reference to Coronavirus Pandemic
June 23, 2021 | 6 PM
Speaker: Prof Sarthi Acharya
Panelist: Santosh Mehrotra, Sandhya S.
Iyer, Radhicka Kapoor
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
The State of Skill Development in India: Impact, Policies, and the Way Forward amidst Coronavirus Pandemic
July 12, 2021 | 6:00 PM
Speaker: Prof Randhir Singh Rathore
Panelist: Mr Sudheesh Venkatesh | Dr G Sridevi | Dr Pabitra Kumar Jena
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz


The State of Employment and Livelihoods in India: Trade Union Perspectives and the Way Forward amidst Coronavirus Pandemic
July 14, 2021 | 6:00 PM
Speaker: Amarjeet Kaur
Panelist: Dr Denzil Fernandes | Sonia George | K R Shyam Sundar | Sharad Kumari | Swarna Sadasivam Vepa
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage:
The State of Earnings in India: The Crisis of Inequality amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic
July 20, 2021 | 4:00 PM
Speaker: Anjana Thampi
Panelist: Priyanka Chatterjee
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz


The Future of Labour Codes: Impact and Way Forward from Trade Union Perspectives
August 3, 2021 | 6:30 PM
Chair: Fr. Dr Denzil Fernandes
Moderator: Prof K R Shyam Sundar
Panelist: Amarjeet Kaur | Amitava Guha | Chandra Prakash Singh | Virjesh Upadhyay | Prashant K. Nanda | Rashmi Venkatesan
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
The Need for a National Employment Policy
August 12, 2021 | 6:30 PM
Moderator: Prof K R Shyam Sundar
Panelist: Prof S K Sasikumar | Prof Swarna Sadasivam Vepa | Prof Jayan Jose Thomas | Urvashi Prasad | Dr Sandeep Chachra
Discussants: Prof Vinoj Abraham | Dr Sandhya S. Iyer
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts


The Future of Labour Codes:
Impact and Way Forward from Employers’ Perspectives
August 20, 2021 | 6:30 PM
Moderator: Prof K R Shyam Sundar
Panelist: Dr Rajen Mehrotra | Nandini Sarkar | Dr Pallab Bandyopadhyay | Michael Dias | Prof E. M. Rao
Discussants: N. S. Iyer
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
e SHRAM portal – Shramev Jayate |
National Database for Unorganised Workers: Impact and Way Forward
September 10, 2021 | 4:00 PM
Moderator: Prof K R Shyam Sundar
Panelists: Mr D. P. S. Negi | Mr Vishram Deshpande | Dr Sonia George | Mr Shaik Salauddin
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts

Also see our other discussion series:
