India’s Single Time Zone – Is it Harmful for the Nation’s Development?

15 Feb 2019

India’s Single Time Zone – Is it Harmful for the Nation’s Development?

India’s Single Time Zone – Is it Harmful for the Nation’s Development?India stretches over a distance of 2933 kilometres from its westernmost (Rann of Kutch) to its easternmost (Kachin Hills) point. A time difference of almost two hours exists between sunrise in the east and west. Yet, India has a single time zone.

Indian Standard Time (IST) is defined by the mean longitude at 82o30′ east of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). This longitude is chosen as it passes through the middle of India (Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh).

Researcher Maulik Jagani, a PhD scholar at Cornell University, has suggested that India’s single time zone is bad for India’s economy (wealth of a country).

He states that with increase in urbanisation and the formalisation of the country, when one part has sufficient day light for working other does not. This adversely impacts the health and productivity of people.

Children are the most affected. They wake up for school at roughly the same time. But children in places with longer hours of daylight sleep later and develop sleep deprivation. This reduces their cognitive power (mental capability) among other health issues.

Other research studies also suggest that dividing India into two time zones can have many positive outcomes –  high productivity, energy conservation from day light saving, promoting physical activity and growth of India’s North-Eastern states.

Many countries in the world, including US follows two time zones for efficient working and productivity.

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India stretches over a distance of 2933 kilometres from its westernmost (Rann of Kutch) to its easternmost (Kachin Hills) point. A time difference of almost two […]

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