Rule 65 explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Rule 65 sets the hours of work for working journalists in newspaper establishments: a normal day of six hours by day and five and a half by night, fixed rest intervals, limits on night shifts and minimum gaps when shifts change. It replaces the separate hours scheme that applied to journalists under the repealed Working Journalists laws.
Rule 65 applies to working journalists but not to editors, and it applies with a special regime to correspondents, reporters and news photographers stationed at the place of the newspaper establishment. A normal working day is not more than six hours (day shift) or five and a half hours (night shift), exclusive of meals. Overtime beyond those hours is compensated by equal rest or wages at twice the rate. A journalist may not work nights continuously for more than one week at a time.
Parent provision in the Code
Section 25(2) of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (the OSH Code) says that, notwithstanding the general daily limit, the hours of work for working journalists shall, subject to a maximum of one hundred and forty-four hours of work during any period of four consecutive weeks and a period of not less than twenty-four consecutive hours of rest during any period of seven consecutive days, be such as the Central Government prescribes. Rule 65 is that prescription. Our section 25 explainer covers the full section. The Code's definition of "working journalist" is in section 2; see our definitions article on motor transport, newspaper and plantation.
The Central Rules apply where the Central Government is the appropriate Government. Where the State Government is the appropriate Government, the State's own OSH rules apply. A newspaper group with units in several States can use our employment and labour law advisory service to work out which rules apply to each unit.
Rule 65 sub-rule by sub-rule
| Sub-rule | What it says |
|---|---|
| 65(1) | The rule applies to working journalists but not to editors, or to correspondents, reporters or news photographers |
| 65(2)(a) | For every correspondent, reporter or news photographer stationed at the place of the newspaper establishment: subject to agreement, once on duty on any day, deemed on duty throughout that day until the day's assigned work is done. Intervals of a total of two hours or less between assignments are not duty time; the portion beyond two hours is |
| 65(2)(b) | Work in excess of thirty-six hours in a week is a unit; it is compensated by rest in the succeeding week in spells of not less than three hours each. If the excess is under three hours, rest is limited to that excess |
| 65(3) | Normal working day, exclusive of meals: not more than six hours (day shift) and five and a half hours (night shift) |
| 65(4) | Subject to agreement, no more than four hours (day shift) or three hours (night shift) before an interval of rest of one hour (day) or half an hour (night) |
| 65(5) | Work beyond six hours (day) or five and a half hours (night) is overtime, compensated by rest equal to the overtime hours, or wages at twice the rate |
| 65(6) | No night shift continuously for more than one week at a time, or for more than one week in any fourteen days |
| 65(7) | Interval on change of shift: at least 24 consecutive hours between night and day shift or the reverse; at least 12 consecutive hours between two day shifts or two night shifts. No such interval is needed if it coincides with or falls within the rest interval under sub-section (2) of section 25 |
The staff covered and left out
Sub-rule (1) excludes editors from the rule and, in the same breath, says the rule does not apply to correspondents, reporters or news photographers. Sub-rule (2) then applies a separate set of provisions "notwithstanding" sub-rule (1) to those stationed at the place of the newspaper establishment. The practical picture:
- Desk journalists, sub-editors and other working journalists fall under the normal-day regime in sub-rules (3) to (7).
- Correspondents, reporters and news photographers stationed at the place of the establishment fall under sub-rule (2): a day-long duty model with interval deductions and compensatory rest.
- Editors are outside the rule.
- Correspondents outside the place of the establishment are not covered by sub-rule (2), which speaks only of those "stationed at the place at which the newspaper establishment ... is situated". The rule text does not say what applies to them, so check the agreement and the Code.
Reading the numbers together
Sub-rule (3) sets six hours for day and five and a half for night. Sub-rule (4) says that, subject to agreement, a journalist should not work more than four hours by day or three hours by night without rest, and the rest is an hour by day and half an hour by night. A day shift roster therefore looks like four hours, an hour's rest, then up to two hours more; a night roster, three hours, half an hour's rest, then up to two and a half hours more.
Sub-rule (5) gives a choice on overtime. The establishment can give rest equal to the overtime hours or pay wages at twice the rate. The text says "compensated by wages, which shall be twice the rate of wages". Whether the choice is the employer's or the employee's is not stated. Settle it in the service agreement.
Sub-rule (6) restricts continuous night duty. A journalist may not be on night shift for more than one week at a time or for more than one week in any fourteen days. Sub-rule (7) creates the minimum gap when the roster changes: 24 hours between a night and a day shift, and 12 hours between shifts of the same kind.
Also remember the Code's outer limits in section 25(2): 144 hours in any four consecutive weeks and at least 24 consecutive hours of rest in any seven days. Rule 65 does not repeat the 144-hour figure, so the roster must satisfy it independently.
Practical examples
Example 1. A newspaper in a city runs a night desk. A sub-editor is rostered for night shift for six nights running, then moves to the day desk. The employer must give at least 24 consecutive hours between the last night shift and the first day shift, and must not keep the sub-editor on nights beyond one week.
Example 2. A staff reporter is on an evening assignment and has a gap of two hours and twenty minutes between two jobs. Under sub-rule (2)(a), two hours of the gap are not duty, and the twenty minutes beyond are deemed duty.
Example 3. A night-shift journalist works six hours. The normal night day is five and a half hours. The half hour of overtime is compensated by half an hour of rest or by wages at twice the rate.
Compliance checklist
- Classify each journalist: editor, correspondent/reporter/photographer at the place, or other.
- Build rosters with the six-hour and five-and-a-half-hour days and the rest intervals.
- Cap night runs at one week and keep the 24-hour and 12-hour gaps.
- Track four-week totals against 144 hours and weekly rest of 24 hours.
- Record the overtime choice in the agreement.
Need help with newspaper establishment compliance?
Hours, leave and record rules for journalists sit in several places and often overlap with older agreements. Our team can help you review agreements and rosters against the Code and the Central Rules. Start with our employment and labour law advisory service.
Key takeaways
- Rule 65 implements the Code's section 25(2) for working journalists.
- Normal day: six hours by day, five and a half by night, exclusive of meals.
- Overtime is compensated by equal rest or wages at twice the rate.
- Night shifts are capped at one week at a time, with 24-hour and 12-hour gaps on change of shift.
- Editors are outside the rule; correspondents, reporters and news photographers at the place have their own provisions.
Read next
- Section 25 of the OSH Code: daily and weekly working hours
- Rule 66: holidays and leave for sales promotion employees and working journalists
- Rule 64: working hours
- Section 2 definitions: motor transport, newspaper and plantation
Disclaimer: Based on the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (as enacted) and, where noted, the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026 (G.S.R. 345(E), 8 May 2026), as on 30 September 2026. The Code is in force from 21 November 2025; some provisions may be notified later, and State Governments make their own rules for establishments where the State is the appropriate Government. Verify the current position before acting.