Freelancing in India

Globally, India has the 7th largest freelance workforce globally, following the US and Bangladesh, with over 500,000 individuals working independently in various sectors such as IT and programming, finance, sales and marketing, designing, animation, videography, content and academic writing. By 2020, 50% of workers are expected to go freelance.[1]

Government

There has not been much effort from India's government towards assisting freelancers until recently when it set up the Digital India Platform (DIP), an initiative to digitalize all government documents and where freelancers are hired to perform the tasks. Anyone with computer knowledge, Internet access, and a valid Aadhar card would be eligible to apply for this freelance opportunity.[2]

Female Indian freelance workers

Numerous highly educated women, holding masters and doctorate degrees in India who cannot pursue a regular occupation due to family and social obligations.[3] Rather than cutting short their professional careers, these women often turn to freelancing.

Although freelancing offers a flexible career option, the number of Indian women in freelancing remains comparatively smaller than their male counterparts. In a survey conducted by Payoneer, a payments services provider based in New York in 2015, only 22 percent of Indian freelancers are women.[4] Not only this but the same report reveals that women are paid lesser than the men who freelance. While a male freelancer earns $19 per hour on an average, a female freelancer apparently earns $17 per hour for the same project.[5]

Companies and freelancers

The distinct shifts in technology, culture, demographics, and professional needs and goals have driven companies to reassess their human resource policies to accommodate the burgeoning freelance economy.[3] India has seen a significant increase in the freelance community, with a 46% rise in new freelancers from Q1 to Q2 in 2020, as reported by Times of India in 2022.[6] These companies hire freelancers and independent consultants across various levels of management, including positions such as freelance CFOs who contribute to streamlining a company’s finances. According to industry estimates, hiring the services of an outsourced CFO can result in operational savings of 30 to 70 percent. Depending upon the nature of the job, fees can range from Rs. 30,000 to a few lakhs per month.[7]

References
  1. "Infographic: 60% of freelancers in India are under 30 - Times of India". The Times of India. 27 June 2018. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  2. Burke, Miles. The Principles Of Successful Freelancing. 1st ed., Collingwood, Vic., Sitepoint, 2008,.
  3. "Here's why freelancers are in great demand - The Economic Times". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2017-01-31.
  4. "Thanks to internet, India has most freelance professionals after US". Hindustan Times. 2015-12-07. Retrieved 2017-01-31.
  5. Jain, Mayank. "Work more, earn less: four charts sum up the economics of freelancing in India". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2017-01-31.
  6. "New rise in India's freelance community in 2022". The Times of India. 2022-03-17.
  7. Nilika Mehrotra (2013), Disability, gender and caste intersections in the Indian economy, in Sharon N. Barnartt, Barbara M. Altman (ed.) Disability and Intersecting Statuses (Research in Social Science and Disability, Volume 7) Emerald Group Publishing Limited, pp. 295 – 324

Further reading
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