Night shifts for women at Hindustan Zinc are not just about shift timing but about shifting mindsets. In a sector long considered off-limits for women after dark, this move signals a new kind of inclusion.
Even in 2025, people still find it unusual or concerning when women work night shifts. For many years, the Factories Act of 1948 prohibited the employment of women in factories between 7 PM and 6 AM in India, with the seafood industry being the only exception. This restriction remained in place until the introduction of the Occupational Safety, Health, and Working Conditions Code (OSH Code) in 2020, which repealed the earlier Act and lifted the ban on women working night shifts.
Rethinking night shifts for women in 2025
While labour laws aim to protect working women, we must also question whether these restrictions have also created unintended barriers to their employment. In practice, many employers view these rules as added responsibilities or risks, leading them to prefer hiring men, especially in sectors like mining and manufacturing, where night shifts are common. As a result, despite the legal reforms, the presence of women in such roles remains limited, and their participation in night shifts continues to be met with resistance.
Hindustan Zinc Limited, India’s leading zinc producer, has taken a significant step toward workplace equality by deploying women employees on night shifts across several of its mining operations. This decision marks a first in the country’s metals and mining sector and reflects the company’s commitment to building an inclusive work environment.
Night shifts for women at Hindustan Zinc: The world’s largest underground zinc mine
Hindustan Zinc has started placing women in night shifts at its Surface (Mill) unit in the underground mining section of Rampura Agucha, located in Bhilwara, Rajasthan. This site hosts the world’s largest underground zinc mining operation. An all-women team now manages the mill control room from 10 PM to 6 AM.
Hindustan Zinc has also deployed women in night shifts at other key locations. These include the smelting operations at the Pantnagar Metal Plant in Uttarakhand and the Chanderiya Smelting Complex in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan. Additionally, women now work night shifts at the control room of the Kayad mine in Ajmer, Rajasthan.
Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Chairperson of Hindustan Zinc, states that by integrating women into night shifts at the company’s underground mines, Hindustan Zinc is not only breaking long-standing barriers but also setting new standards for inclusion. “It reflects our belief that true progress lies in empowering every individual to participate fully, lead fearlessly, and thrive equally,” she says.
Previously, women could only work during daytime hours due to regulatory restrictions. The company now provides equal shift opportunities, allowing women to grow professionally in the same way as their male colleagues. This change promotes fairness and opens doors for women to take on more technical and operational roles in the mining sector.
Hindustan Zinc: A model for gender equality in mining and engineering
By integrating women in underground night shifts, Hindustan Zinc has reached a gender diversity ratio of over 25%, making it one of the companies with the highest share of women in India’s metals, mining, and heavy engineering fields. From appointing India’s first women underground mine managers to forming the country’s first all‑women underground mine rescue team, Hindustan Zinc has led early steps in giving women equal roles. In the financial year 2025, over 33% of new staff recruited through campus placements came from among women engineering and mining graduates.
Hindustan Zinc also offers a range of employee-friendly policies that support women in the workplace. These policies include flexible working hours, mental wellness support, spouse hiring options, childcare sabbaticals, and monthly no-questions-asked leave. Such policies make Hindustan Zinc one of the most progressive employers for women in the industry, ensuring a work environment that promotes work-life balance and inclusivity.
Night shifts for women at Hindustan Zinc: The final thoughts
If more companies follow this path, India can move closer to gender-balanced workplaces. The goal should be to ensure safety for all employees, regardless of gender or shift timings, rather than excluding women under the guise of protection.
Employers must stop treating women’s safety as a reason to limit their potential. Instead, they need to create safe transport, secure workplaces, flexible policies, and a respectful work culture so women can work any shift at any time of day.
Hindustan Zinc is powering equality where it matters — underground and after hours.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are based on the writer’s insights, supported by data and resources available both online and offline, as applicable. Changeincontent.com is committed to promoting inclusivity across all forms of content. We broadly define inclusivity as media, policies, law, and history, encompassing all elements that influence the lives of women and marginalised individuals. Our goal is to promote understanding and advocate for comprehensive inclusivity.
