Kashmir's Gig Gamble

As app-based jobs expand in Kashmir, flexibility brings income but leaves workers exposed to fluctuating pay, invisible management, and limited upward mobility.

- Muhammad Arbaaz Niazi

Kashmir now stands firmly inside India’s gig economy story.

Young people sign up for app-based driving, food delivery, online tutoring, freelance design, data tagging, content writing, and home services with the hope that quick income and flexible hours will bring stability. Platforms present these jobs as modern and open to anyone willing to log in.

This shift first gathered pace in cities such as Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai, where strong digital networks and dense markets keep demand high.

The valley operates under very different conditions. Private sector opportunities remain limited, industry lacks depth, and competition for government posts stays intense. Platform work therefore feels like an economic necessity for many young people rather than a passing trend.

Kashmir’s gig economy grows out of limited options and structural constraints, and that reality defines its character.

Young men attach their cars to ride-hailing apps and spend long hours chasing rides. Graduates deliver meals and groceries on routes set by platforms. Postgraduates teach online classes or compete for remote freelance projects posted by clients they never meet. Instagram pages serve as digital storefronts where algorithms decide visibility and reach.

Many join to support their families and meet rising costs, while few treat this work as a long-term career built on steady growth.

Flexibility drives the appeal, as workers choose when to log in and which tasks to accept. That freedom matters in a region where private jobs remain scarce and government posts draw fierce competition.

At the same time, risk shifts toward the worker. Companies avoid long-term commitments. Income rises and falls without warning. Paid leave rarely exists, and health insurance often offers little real protection. The language of partnership sounds empowering, though legal safeguards remain thin.