UGC NET Labour Welfare Syllabus 2026 – HRM, Industrial Relations & Labour Laws
Labour Welfare / Personnel Management / Industrial Relations / Labour and Social Welfare / Human Resource Management (Subject Code 55) is one UGC NET subject with multiple names but one consistent focus: the world of work — employment, labour rights, human resource management, industrial relations, and social security. This article covers the full Paper 2 syllabus with the key legislation, theories, and concepts that appear most frequently in the exam.
👉 UGC NET Paper 1 Syllabus 2026 — Common paper for all subjects — 50 marks, Teaching Aptitude, Research Methods, Logical Reasoning
Exam Pattern
| Detail | Info |
|---|
| Subject Code | 55 |
| Subject Name | Labour Welfare/Personnel Management/Industrial Relations/Labour and Social Welfare/Human Resource Management |
| Paper 2 Questions | 100 MCQs, 200 Marks |
| Total Marks | 300 |
| Duration | 3 Hours combined |
| Negative Marking | None |
Unit-wise Syllabus
| Unit | Topic Area | Key Subtopics |
|---|
| I | Labour Welfare & Social Security | Concept of labour welfare, statutory vs non-statutory welfare, welfare officer, social security principles, ILO conventions on social security |
| II | Personnel Management & HRM | Evolution of PM to HRM, HRM functions (acquisition, development, maintenance, separation), strategic HRM, HRM vs HRD |
| III | Industrial Relations | Concept, approaches (unitary, pluralist, radical/Marxist), collective bargaining, trade unions, works committees, joint consultation |
| IV | Trade Union Movement | History in India, structure, functions, problems, Central Trade Union Organizations (INTUC, AITUC, BMS, HMS, CITU), recognition of trade unions |
| V | Labour Legislation — I | Factories Act 1948, Industrial Disputes Act 1947, Minimum Wages Act 1948, Payment of Wages Act 1936, Contract Labour Act 1970 |
| VI | Labour Legislation — II | Employees' Provident Fund Act 1952, ESI Act 1948, Workmen's Compensation Act 1923, Maternity Benefit Act 1961, Payment of Gratuity Act 1972 |
| VII | Labour Economics | Labour market theory, wage determination (classical, Keynesian, marginal productivity), employment theories, labour mobility, brain drain |
| VIII | Organizational Behaviour | Motivation theories (Maslow, Herzberg, McGregor, Vroom), leadership styles (Likert, Blake-Mouton), group dynamics, conflict management |
| IX | HRD & Training | Training needs analysis, training methods (on-job, off-job), performance appraisal methods, career planning, succession planning |
| X | New Labour Codes | Labour Code on Wages 2019, Labour Code on Industrial Relations 2020, Labour Code on Social Security 2020, Labour Code on Occupational Safety 2020 — key provisions |
Unit V — Key Labour Laws (Most Tested)
| Act | Year | Key Provisions |
|---|
| Factories Act | 1948 | Working hours (48/week, 9/day), overtime, health/safety/welfare provisions, prohibition of child/women work in dangerous processes |
| Industrial Disputes Act | 1948 | Layoff, retrenchment, closure procedures; conciliation, arbitration, adjudication; Works Committee, Conciliation Officer, Labour Court, Industrial Tribunal |
| Minimum Wages Act | 1948 | Fixation and revision of minimum wages; scheduled employment; tripartite consultation |
| Payment of Wages Act | 1936 | Timely wage payment; authorised deductions; wage period maximum 1 month |
| Contract Labour Act | 1970 | Registration of establishments; licensing of contractors; welfare facilities for contract labour; abolition in certain cases |
| Trade Unions Act | 1926 | Registration of trade unions; rights and privileges; immunities from criminal/civil liability |
Unit VI — Social Security Legislation
| Act | Year | Coverage & Benefits |
|---|
| EPF Act (Employees' Provident Fund) | 1952 | Provident Fund (12% employer + 12% employee), EPS (Employee Pension Scheme), EDLI (insurance) |
| ESI Act (Employees' State Insurance) | 1948 | Medical, sickness, maternity, disability, dependent benefit — for establishments with 10+ employees, wages ≤₹21,000 |
| Workmen's Compensation Act | 1923 | Compensation to workers injured in course of employment — replaced by Employees' Compensation Act 2010 |
| Maternity Benefit Act | 1961 | 26 weeks paid maternity leave (12 for 3rd+ child), nursing breaks, crèche facility (50+ employees) |
| Payment of Gratuity Act | 1972 | Gratuity after 5 years service = (Last salary × 15 × years) / 26; maximum ₹20 lakh |
👉 UGC NET Eligibility 2026 — Minimum qualification, age relaxation and application process
Unit VIII — Motivation Theories (Always Asked)
| Theorist | Theory | Core Concept |
|---|
| Maslow | Hierarchy of Needs | 5 levels: Physiological → Safety → Social → Esteem → Self-actualization |
| Herzberg | Two-Factor Theory | Hygiene factors (prevent dissatisfaction) vs Motivators (create satisfaction) |
| McGregor | Theory X and Theory Y | X: employees are lazy/need control; Y: employees are self-motivated/responsible |
| Vroom | Expectancy Theory | Motivation = Expectancy × Instrumentality × Valence |
| McClelland | Achievement Motivation | Need for Achievement (nAch), Power (nPow), Affiliation (nAff) |
| Adams | Equity Theory | Motivation depends on perceived fairness of outcomes vs inputs |
Unit X — Four Labour Codes (Critical for 2026 Exam)
The 4 Labour Codes passed in 2019–2020 consolidated 44 central labour laws. These are heavily tested in recent papers:
| Labour Code | Year | Laws Consolidated | Key Change |
|---|
| Code on Wages | 2019 | Payment of Wages Act, Minimum Wages Act, Payment of Bonus Act, Equal Remuneration Act | Universal minimum wage; unified definition of wages |
| Code on Industrial Relations | 2020 | Industrial Disputes Act, Trade Unions Act, Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act | Threshold for retrenchment/closure raised to 300 workers (from 100) |
| Code on Social Security | 2020 | EPF, ESI, Gratuity, Maternity Benefit, and 5 others | Includes gig/platform workers in social security |
| Code on Occupational Safety | 2020 | Factories Act, Mines Act, and 11 others | Single law for safety in all establishments |
What No Other Site Tells You
The 4 Labour Codes are the single most important new addition to UGC NET Labour Welfare exams. Every paper from 2021 onwards has included 8–12 questions specifically on Code provisions, consolidated law numbers, and key changes. Most preparation books pre-date the Codes — supplementing with the official government summaries (labour.gov.in) of all 4 Codes is mandatory. Candidates who ignore the Codes lose double-digit marks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the 4 Labour Codes and when were they passed?
Code on Wages (2019), Code on Industrial Relations (2020), Code on Social Security (2020), and Code on Occupational Safety (2020). They consolidated 44 central labour laws into 4 comprehensive codes.
Q: What is the difference between HRM and HRD?
HRM (Human Resource Management) is the broader function covering acquisition, maintenance, development, and separation of employees. HRD (Human Resource Development) is specifically the development function — training, career planning, organisational development. HRD is a subset of HRM.
Q: Which trade union is affiliated with BJP?
BMS (Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh) — India's largest central trade union organisation by membership, affiliated with RSS/BJP ideologically. INTUC is affiliated with Congress, AITUC with CPI, CITU with CPM.
Q: What is the ESI wage ceiling?
₹21,000 per month (₹25,000 for persons with disability). Employees earning above this are not covered under ESI. This ceiling is revised periodically by the government.
Q: How many years of service are required for gratuity?
5 years of continuous service (with the same employer). Formula: Last drawn salary × 15/26 × number of years of service. Maximum gratuity is ₹20 lakh.
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