Kerala to notify revised minimum wages for private hospital staff directly under Minimum Wages Act
Kerala Labour Minister V. Sivankutty directed on 27 December 2025 that a draft notification revising minimum wages of private hospital employees be published in the gazette within a month under Section 5(1)(b) of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948.
Summary
Kerala Labour Minister V. Sivankutty directed the Labour Secretary on 27 December 2025 to publish, within a month, a draft gazette notification revising the minimum wages of employees in the State's private hospital sector. Sivankutty said the government would use Section 5(1)(b) of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, which lets it notify revised wages directly, after talks in the Minimum Wages Committee failed because management representatives did not cooperate. A committee formed in October 2023 had collected evidence in all 14 districts, and most private hospitals still pay wages based on the 2013 notification.
Key facts
- Date
- 27 December 2025, Private Hospital Industrial Relations Committee meeting, Thiruvananthapuram
- Decision
- Draft notification in the gazette within one month
- Legal route
- Section 5(1)(b), Minimum Wages Act, 1948
- Background
- Committee formed October 2023; evidence in all 14 districts; no consensus
- Current basis
- Most private hospitals pay as per 2013 notification
Practice MCQs 3 questions
Under which provision did Kerala decide in December 2025 to directly notify revised minimum wages for private hospital employees?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — Section 5(1)(b) of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948
The Hindu (PTI) and Mathrubhumi: the government will invoke Section 5(1)(b) of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, which empowers it to notify revised wages directly.
According to Kerala's Labour Minister in December 2025, most private hospitals in the State still pay wages based on the notification of which year?
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Correct answer: B — 2013
The Hindu (PTI) and Mathrubhumi: Sivankutty said most private hospitals pay wages based on the 2013 notification, which is inadequate at present living costs.
The committee formed by Kerala in October 2023 to revise private hospital wages collected evidence in how many districts?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — 14
The Hindu (PTI) and Mathrubhumi: the committee constituted in October 2023 conducted evidence collection in all 14 districts.