This page shows the current applicable minimum wage for workers in Paper and Printing Press establishments in Karnataka. The rates below are set by skill category and, where the government notifies zones, by area, so you can find the exact wage that applies to a press operator, binder, DTP operator or helper in Karnataka.
Minimum wage rates for Paper and Printing Press in Karnataka
| Category of worker | Zone I | Zone II | Zone III | Zone IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Un-skilled | ₹620.66 | ₹599.43 | ₹579.22 | ₹559.97 |
| Semi-skilled | ₹665.22 | ₹641.88 | ₹619.65 | ₹598.47 |
| Skilled | ₹714.25 | ₹688.57 | ₹664.11 | ₹640.82 |
| Highly-skilled | ₹768.18 | ₹739.93 | ₹713.03 | ₹687.41 |
Rates effective 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.
What counts as Paper and Printing Press
The Paper and Printing Press scheduled employment covers establishments engaged in the manufacture of paper and paper board and in printing, publishing and allied processes, including letterpress, offset, screen, flexographic and digital printing along with composing, plate making, binding, cutting and finishing work. It applies to the workers deployed across these production and press stages, whether the unit prints newspapers, books, stationery, labels or packaging.
- Offset and multi-colour printing presses
- Newspaper, periodical and magazine printing houses
- Book, stationery and account-book binderies
- Screen printing and label or sticker units
- Packaging, carton and corrugated box printing factories
- Paper and paper board mills and paper conversion units
- Digital, flexographic and commercial job printing shops
Typical roles and skill categories
- Press operator or machine minder
- DTP operator, compositor or typesetter
- Plate maker or lithographer
- Book binder and finishing worker
- Guillotine or paper cutting operator
- Screen printer
- Ink mixer and colour matcher
- Folding and stitching machine operator
- Helper, feeder or loader
In this employment the categories usually map by trade skill: helpers, loaders and cleaners are treated as unskilled; feeders, cutting assistants and ink mixers as semi-skilled; press operators, binders and DTP operators as skilled; and plate makers, lithographers, colour or process technicians and minders on multi-colour presses as highly-skilled. Classification should follow the actual printing or paper work performed rather than the designation written on the appointment card.
Who fixes this wage
Paper and Printing Press is a notified scheduled employment under minimum wage law, for which the Karnataka government fixes minimum rates of wages separately for each skill category and, in many areas, for different geographical zones. Every employer running a covered paper or printing unit in Karnataka must pay at least the applicable notified rate to each worker according to the worker's skill category.
How Karnataka sets minimum wages
Karnataka fixes minimum wages under its Shops and Commercial Establishments schedule, dividing the state into four zones numbered I to IV. Rates are set for four categories of worker and are kept current through a variable dearness allowance rather than a fresh base notification each period. The dearness-allowance revision applies from 1 April 2026 and runs through to 31 March 2027.
Common questions
What is the current minimum wage for Paper and Printing Press in Karnataka?
In Karnataka, the minimum wage for Paper and Printing Press currently runs from about ₹559.97 to ₹768.18 per day, depending on skill category and zone, effective 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. The exact figure by category is in the table below. Confirm the exact rate for your worker's skill category and zone in the table above, and against the latest official notification.
Does the Karnataka minimum wage for Paper and Printing Press cover both paper making and printing presses?
Yes, the notification for this scheduled employment generally covers the manufacture of paper and paper board as well as letterpress, offset, screen, flexographic and digital printing units, including their composing, binding and finishing sections, so workers across all these stages in Karnataka are entitled to the notified rate for their skill category.
How should a press operator or plate maker be classified for wage purposes?
Roles that need trade skill such as press operators, binders and DTP operators are usually placed in the skilled category, while plate makers, lithographers and colour or process technicians are often highly-skilled; feeders and cutting assistants fall under semi-skilled and helpers or loaders under unskilled, and the classification in Karnataka should reflect the actual work done, not the job title.
Are contract and piece-rate printing workers entitled to the minimum wage in Karnataka?
Workers engaged through a contractor or paid on a piece-rate or per-shift basis in a covered paper or printing unit are entitled to at least the applicable minimum wage for their skill category in Karnataka, and any piece rate should be fixed so that a normal day's output earns not less than the notified daily wage for that category.
Never underpay in Karnataka
ZeniaHR maps every worker to the correct minimum-wage notification by state, skill and zone, and flags anyone paid below it.
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