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The demand for gig workers witnessed an astronomical rise during the festive season 2024 according to a report.

Avsar, a recruitment consulting and outsourcing firm, in its latest report revealed that more than 1.2 million gig roles were posted during the festive season of current calendar year.

Gig hiring has increased in recent years driven by the rise in e-commerce, the growing trend of ‘just-in-time’ hiring, and consumer spending. 

According to the staffing firm's data, In 2024, gig worker demand surged by 10 percent, pushing the total demand to 22 percent compared to 2023, which stands at 12 percent, followed by 18 percent in 2022, 15 percent in 2021, 10 percent in 2020, and 8 percent in 2019, respectively.

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Logistics, retail, and customer support roles dominated the demand during the festive season. Logistics roles accounted for 35 percent of all gig jobs, followed by retail and e-commerce at 28 percent, and customer support at 15 percent. 

The report also revealed a notable increase in sustainability-focused roles, with green gig jobs now making up 5 percent of total postings. Part-time roles in technology and other specialized, project-based roles are also on the rise, showing that gig work is diversifying beyond traditional roles, Avsar mentioned.


The recruitment for gig roles is dominant in metro cities such as Mumbai (20%), Delhi NCR (18%), and Bengaluru (15%), accounting for 53% of demand.

Additionally, gig jobs are also booming in tier-2 cities like Surat, Jaipur, and Lucknow, showing a strong demand increase of 12 percent to 15 percent.

'Higher pay'

Several businesses are leveraging on gig workers rather than permanent hires and offering higher pay during the festive season.

According to the report, a field technician is likely to earn Rs 35,000 per month, while customer support executives and delivery personnel are likely to earn between Rs 18,000 and Rs 28,000 monthly. 

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/temp-tactics-logistics-e-comm-firms-scaling-up-gig-workforce-this-festive-season-43806.htm">Temp Tactics: Logistics, e-comm firms scaling up gig workforce this festive season</a>

This rise in pay reflects a combination of factors, including a shortage of skilled workers in high-demand roles and the need for businesses to meet rising service expectations during the festive season. 

"Gig jobs are now a preferred choice, offering individuals flexibility, strong earnings, and meaningful roles while giving businesses the agility to thrive during peak times. It’s exciting to see gig work becoming a viable, long-term career path for many, with roles that also reflect growing values around sustainability. We believe the gig economy is evolving into something lasting and impactful for India’s workforce," Navneet Singh, Founder and CEO of Avsar said.

Gig economy booms: 1.2 million roles posted in festive season 2024

India's leading software-developing firms have continued to witness muted attrition rates in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025, signaling optimism for fresh talent onboarding in the H2 FY25. In the July-September quarter (Q2) of FY 25, Infosys observed 12.9 percent of voluntary attrition in the last twelve-month period (LTM) compared to 12.7 percent in the June quarter. TCS attrition in IT services was 12.3% whereas Wipro's attrition was stable at 14.5% on a quarterly basis.


According to Shantanu Rooj, Founder and CEO at TeamLease Edtech, employees aged between 25 and 35 years, are switching jobs in pursuit of career growth, competitive compensation, and improved work-life balance. 


Experts told Storyboard18 that Gen Z professionals have willingness to explore multiple industries and job functions early in their careers, therefore they often leave if they feel stagnant. On the other hand, millennials are more cautious about job-hopping but are quick to move for better compensation, career advancement, or stability.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/wipro-sees-attrition-rise-to-14-5-in-q2-fy25-net-profit-jumps-21-45264.htm">Wipro, Infosys report increased attrition rates in Q2 FY25</a>

However, companies have begun to take measures to retain their top talents.

Foundit, a staffing firm revealed that 73 percent of the IT companies are adopting flexible work policies, wellness programs, and remote or hybrid work options to combat attrition.

"Fostering a supportive work environment and offering growth opportunities are key to effective employee retention. A strong retention approach not only helps keep valuable talent but also improves overall team morale and productivity," Sashi Kumar, Head of Sales, Indeed India said.


'Freshers' hiring'

Campus hiring practices have evolved to become more targeted and strategic. TeamLease Edtech's CEO said that IT firms now focus on partnerships with educational institutions to identify and nurture talent early. 


During the Q2 earning call, Infosys' Chief Financial Officer Jayesh Sanghrajka said the company will onboard the 15,000 plus freshers. "We have on boarded many of them in the first half, but we are on-track to onboard 15,000 to 20,000 at a group level in FY'25," Sanghrajka added.

Milind Lakkad, Chief HR Officer at TCS said that the company is on track for trainee onboarding as planned. "We have also commenced the campus hiring process for FY26," he added.

According to data from Indeed, IT hiring is projected to grow by 8.5 percent next year. 

"Many companies are now blending technical assessments, hackathons, and internships into their hiring process to identify candidates with hands-on expertise in high-demand fields like AI, cybersecurity, and cloud computing," Foundit CEO Sekhar Garisa said.

According to Ankit Aggarwal, Founder and CEO of Unstop basic programming roles, data entry processing jobs, IT support, and helpdesk jobs are becoming obsolete.

"We’ve seen IT companies like Walmart, Juspay, and more connect with fresh talent through engagements that give them an opportunity to assess students on the basis of their skills and then hire them for internships and full-time roles. We’ve also seen an uptick in the packages offered by brands like Flipkart for Tech roles with Rs 32 LPA packages," Aggarwal added.

As per the data by Foundit, IT firms are increasingly prioritizing skills in data analytics, machine learning, and cloud computing for entry-level hires, with strong programming proficiency in languages like Python, R, and JavaScript highly valued. Knowledge of cybersecurity practices and familiarity with DevOps is also sought after. Certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Microsoft Azure Fundamentals, and CompTIA Security+ add a competitive edge. 


Infosys added 2,456 employees, and Wipro added 978 employees between July and September 2024. TCS said its Net Headcount Addition was more than 11,000 employees in the H1 FY25. And, HCL added about 12,000 freshers in FY24.


Skillsoft’s top 20 highest paying IT certifications report showed that security certifications, particularly with AWS, are highly valued skills given the increasing number of cyber threats companies are dealing with. "Both cloud and infrastructure certifications also continue to be mainstays on our list. Besides, companies are placing more importance on candidates with a blend of technical and soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and emotional intelligence", Orla Daly, Chief Information Officer, Skillsoft said.

IT firms report stable attrition in Q2, paving way for campus hiring surge in FY 25

As the boundaries of traditional careers continue to blur, a new generation is reshaping the work culture. A trend of creative careers is emerging in the country as individuals harness emerging business models and economic opportunities online. According to the latest 'Consumed' report by Stumble and Kommune, Gen Z's entry into the workforce has challenged the established norms. The acceptance of non-traditional career paths is growing and side hustles and creative moonlighting are gaining popularity.

The report underscores that ambitious plans for financial independence are at odds with rising cynicism about hustle culture. 

The young workforce is gravitating towards startups that allow work-life balance. It is also projected that entrepreneurship may steadily continue to grow as a viable alternative.

Creator workshops, non-traditional colleges and business schools, and disruptive career successes are emerging as probable accelerators. 

At the same time, creator-led brands, such as  Peach by Vishnu Kaushal, Wakeup Juiceby Ankita Chawla, and creator-curated product lines with companies like Freakins, are also flourishing.

Furthermore, the commodification of experience is another trend emerging in the country. Millennial minimalism has evolved into post-millennial materialism, often driven by post-pandemic revenge purchases and urges. 

The report noted that increasing 'upgrade culture', where people aspire for products and experiences outside their spending capacity, may lead to a credit boom.

Spending for signalling is leading to younger consumers falling into spending spirals, not using credit cards wisely, and making unwise expenditures.

According to estimates, more than 80 percent of the world’s population currently owns a smartphone, with almost 60% of the global population actively using the internet.

This comes in parallel to Airplane Mode, where people seek offline experiences due to screen fatigue. According to the report, consumers are increasingly recognising the collateral effects on mental well-being and working to resist the effects of social media dependence.

Even creators are taking mental health breaks, acknowledging the toll of content creation, and stepping away from retention-based editing as an act of reclaiming control, the report noted.

"Both creators and consumers are consciously going Airplane Mode- logging off to touch the grass, turning on-screen timers, and using quiet mode," the report added.

Creative careers flourish as Gen Z pushes back against hustle culture: Report

The Media & Entertainment sector witnessed a 27 percent increase in recruitment activity on an annual basis in September 2024, according to a data from a staffing firm.

Additionally, 22 of the 27 industries observed strong growth in hiring new talent, revealed specialist talent platform foundit in its latest report.

Hiring for Associate roles with 4-6 years of experience and Mid-senior level roles (7 - 10 years of experience) saw a significant uptick by 16 percent.

	
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There was also a notable 3 percent growth in hiring activity for roles requiring more than 10 years of experience last month.

Among the job roles, marketing and IT roles led the charge in September as recruitment activity gained momentum.

"7 out of 13 areas saw an annual uptick in hiring, with strong demand for talent in Marketing and Communications, Hospitality, IT, and Medical roles," the staffing firm said.

The report underscored a high demand for sales professionals in BFSI, with data analysis emerging as a key skill for these job roles. Professionals with AI/ ML and Finance skills were also in strong demand.

Organizations, based in Bengaluru and Coimbatore showcased the positive hiring trend. Coimbatore reported a 55 percent rise in annual growth, followed by Bengaluru at 43 percent, Jaipur at 37 percent, and Delhi-NCR at 35 percent.	

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IT - Software & Services saw significant growth last month, with Bengaluru recording a 12 percent increase among metros, and Coimbatore surging by 22%. Customer service roles picked up last month across cities, with major demand in Chennai and Mumbai, both reporting a 22 percent increase.


'Hybrid work mode dominates'

Hybrid work remains popular among employers, with steady demand throughout the year. However, the availability of job seekers for Work From Home (WFH) roles is declining, the report stated.

Notably, GenZ, seeking to balance work-life integration and learning opportunities in non-traditional office settings, highly value flexibility. 

In contrast, mid- and senior-level professionals are increasingly gravitating towards in-office environments.

Hybrid job trends in India heavily favour Tier-2 cities, which account for 66% of hybrid job opportunities, compared to 34% in metro cities. Additionally, organizations have specifically listed 4 percent of the hybrid roles for women, the report noted.

Recruitment surge in Media & Entertainment: 27% growth, led by marketing, IT, hybrid work roles

"We earn an average of Rs 500-600 daily, or around Rs 15,000 a month. To be honest, it's not enough. But there is no other option. The level of exploitation is high--it's like a parasite sucking our blood," said Pradeep, a full-time working employee at a food delivery platform. 

Pradeep’s story is not unique. Most platform workers face significant work-related expenses such as fuel, vehicle maintenance, and insurance, all of which reduce their take-home pay.

According to a report by the Fairwork India team, spearheaded by the Centre for Information Technology and Public Policy (CITAPP) at the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIITB), only Urban Company and bigbasket have instituted a minimum wage policy that ensures all workers earn at least the local hourly minimum wage.

	
<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/temp-tactics-logistics-e-comm-firms-scaling-up-gig-workforce-this-festive-season-43806.htm">Temp Tactics: Logistics, e-comm firms scaling up gig workforce this festive season</a>

The researchers have accessed five principles (fair Pay, Fair Conditions, Fair Contracts, fair Management, and Fair Representation) to analyze the condition of gig workers on India's leading online platforms. 

According to the report, Zomato, Swiggy, Urban Company, and bigbasket scored 6 out of 10 points creating favourable working conditions for gig workers. BluSmart scored five points, while Zepto scored four. Notably, Amazon Flex, Flipkart, Ola, Porter, and Uber were identified as underperformers.

No platform scored any point in the 'fair representation' category. Balaji Parthasarathy, one of the principal investigators, told Storyboard18 that they were unable to find sufficient evidence to confirm that Flipkart, Ola, Uber, and Porter met the criteria for awarding points in this principle.

'Platforms facilitate changes'

Some platforms have announced measures in their policies and practices to improve the working conditions of their workers.

For instance, ride-sharing company BluSmart has introduced accident insurance at no additional cost to all its workers. BluSmart also instituted a formal policy on Loss of Standing to ensure that workers who go on leave from the platform are not penalized upon their return.

Swiggy has committed to compensating workers for income losses incurred due to app malfunctions during the period of their login hours.

	
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bigbasket has introduced anti-discrimination policies. Amazon also instituted an anti-retaliation policy, ensuring that workers are not disadvantaged when raising concerns.

Zepto and Zomato have institutionalized regular external audits of their algorithms reducing the likelihood of algorithmic bias against workers.

"Representation through a collective body or trade union is a vital dimension of fairness at work. It is disconcerting that despite the rise in platform worker collectivisation across the country over the past six years, there was insufficient evidence from any platform to show a willingness to recognise a collective body of workers," Fairwork India said.

Gig workers face exploitation, only Urban Company, bigbasket ensure minimum wage: Report

"I work in Flipkart's logistics department, and earn approximately Rs 150 per day. We get paid between Rs 25-42 for delivering parcels, depending on the size of the packet and the distance," Diwakar, a delivery executive in a tier-2 city, told Storyboard18.

With the festive season kicking off, India's promising quick commerce, e-commerce, and logistics companies have recruited millions of workers to ramp up their operations and meet the demands of consumers.

Flipkart, India's homegrown marketplace, said it has created over a lakh seasonal jobs in its supply chain department as of September-end. Amazon India has also created 1.1 lakh seasonal opportunities for the festive season across its operations network.

Seasonal hiring, also known as festive hiring, has become an integral part of India's jobs landscape. Every year, e-commerce giants as well as logistics and quick commerce firms, provide temporary employment to lakhs of workers as consumers are increasingly turning to online shopping, drawn by discounts and convenience.

'Seasonal hiring'

Seasonal hiring is temporary employment that takes place annually around the same time. This new recruitment trend is only a decade old, as it came about as the internet became affordable and Indians more tech-savvy.

According to the specialist staffing firm Xpheno, seasonal employment typically ranges from as low as 2-4 weeks to 3-4 months.

"The current demand outlook indicates an 18-20 percent increase in the recruitment of seasonal talent compared to 2023," said Divya Kurup, Business Head - Sales Staffing, Xpheno.

According to Kurup, the estimated demand covers the season beginning in October and going well into January and early February 2025. 

Manoj Yadav, General Secretary of the Forward Seamen's Union of India, said, "During the festival season, many platforms offer higher incentives compared to regular days. They understand the higher demand during this seasons, so they increase trip bonuses. This not only attracts unemployed workers but also students. Most employment is generated from third-party contractors who are moving towards term-based employment for specific periods."

TeamLease Edtech has projected that over a million gig workers would be hired across the sector, with e-commerce leading the charge during the festive season.

'Roles in demand'

Hiring platform Indeed revealed that during the 2024 festive season, there had been a 30 percent uptick in job postings for delivery executives. Companies also scouted talent for roles such as warehouse workers, logistics coordinators, in-store sales executives, and customer care executives.

For instance, Amazon and Flipkart hired thousands of women associates and PWDs (persons with disabilities) in these roles. On the other hand, Meesho aims to create around 2.5 lakh seasonal job opportunities through partnerships with third-party logistics players such as Ecom Express, Delhivery, Shadowfax, Xpressbees, and Valmo during the festive season.

"These roles will primarily involve first-mile, middle-mile and delivery associates responsible for tasks such as delivery picking, sorting, loading, unloading, and return inspections," said Sourabh Pandey, General Manager, Fulfilment & Experience, Meesho.

'Impact of seasonal hiring'

According to Surinder Bhagat, CEO and Co-Founder, Gigin Technologies, the growth of contractual jobs has been a mixed bag for gig workers, providing flexibility and opportunities to earn extra income during busy periods, but also leading to instability and insecurity. Gigin is an app that connects gig workers and employers.

"Gig workers are paid per task. These jobs usually don't come with health insurance, paid leave, or retirement benefits, which are essential for worker welfare," Bhagat said. Unlike permanent employees, gig workers do not receive severance packages or long-term compensation.

"After the festive season, no compensation is paid to workers as they were employed on term-based contracts," Yadav added, "Seasonal hiring reduces the demand for regular workers and poses a threat to job security".

However, some platforms have started introducing incentives to retain a skilled gig workforce for future festive seasons.

Jaideep Kewalramani, COO and Head of Employability Business, TeamLease Edtech, said, "Post the seasonal rush, gig workers pick up other jobs. Sometimes, if the gig worker has outperformed, companies may offer a pathway to full-time work and higher responsibilities."

Notably, festive season hiring leads to a lot of churn in the talent pool. According to Kurup, "The churn can be over 30-40 percent, requiring enterprises to keep the hiring funnel running constantly through the season," said Kurup.

She added that seasonal hiring also has a negative impact on permanent jobs. "Additional demand for employees in permanent roles is expected to be low to moderate, between 5-8 percent over current demand levels," she said.

Temp Tactics: Logistics, e-comm firms scaling up gig workforce this festive season

As the festive season approaches, India is expected to see a surge in demand for gig workers in ride-hailing firms, e-commerce, quick commerce platforms, and other sectors.

The gig economy encompasses a wide range of fields, including ride-sharing, food delivery, freelance writing, graphic design, and various other digital and non-digital services.


According to a report by TeamLease Edtech, employers are planning to hire roughly 10 lakh gig workers and 250,000 contractual workers across sectors.

Platforms such as Uber, Ola, Swiggy, and Zomato are prominent recruiters of gig workers. More than 60 percent of the employers emphasized the significance of technical and communication skills for gig workers. 

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Employers prefer gig workers with 1-5 years of experience. Only 10.7 percent of surveyed employers were open to hiring gig workers with no prior experience. 

However, the TeamLease survey highlighted that despite the surge in gig hiring there is a persistent skill gap among the gig workers.

42.86 percent of the surveyed employers said the workers lack knowledge about the specific industry.

	
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Another, 28.57 percent of employers said soft skills, including communication, teamwork, and a problem-solving attitude are deficient among the gig workers.

While gig workers are technically adept, the absence of domain expertise can hinder their efficiency and effectiveness, the report mentioned.

To bridge these gaps, TeamLease suggested that job training and online courses would be helpful for gig workers.

"By honing both industry-specific knowledge and soft skills, gig workers can significantly enhance their employability and efficiency in delivering quality results," the staffing firm added.

“On the ground, we often see that while gig workers are tech-savvy, they face challenges in managing client interactions and adapting to the dynamic needs of multiple projects. With the festive season ramping up, their ability to improve communication and problem-solving skills will play a crucial role. Success in the gig economy is a combination of many factors, including tech proficiency, communication skills, time management, and adaptability," Jaideep Kewalramani, Head of Employability Business and COO, TeamLease Edtech said.

The survey collated the responses of 837 employers across a wide range of sectors.

Festive season boosts demand for gig workers, employers plan to hire 10 lakh workers

Amid the boom of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Indian organizations are hiring talent outside of India. According to a report by Deel, the payroll and HR platform, 88 percent of organizations are open to global hiring, and 96 percent of them are onboarding AI talent for C-suite roles. The report highlighted that organizations in the tech and finance sector especially have nearly 70 percent of employees located outside India.

In contrast to hiring AI talent, companies have expressed several obstacles such as high salary expectations and fierce competition.

Deel's research, "India Business Leader Pulse Check: Workforce and Hiring", underscored that the ongoing AI skills ratio between demand and supply of AI talent stands at 51% in India, with higher demand-supply disparity for roles such as machine learning engineers, data scientists, DevOps engineers, and data architects.

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"India’s organizations are open to hiring from other markets (88%), which can help to fill the AI sector skills gap now and allow skills transfer from global teams to the next generation of AI employees in India,” says Mark Samlal, General Manager for the Asia-Pacific region at Deel said.

Among the surveyed organizations, 80 percent said that high salary expectations have deterred them from hiring AI talent. On the other hand, 56 percent of the respondents cited fierce competition from other companies as a significant challenge in attracting AI talent.

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More than 95 percent of organizations are either integrating or considering integrating AI. Some of the key business units that companies have shown stronger intention for AI integration are- Product development (60%), Human resources (56%), marketing (52%), supply chain (50%), and finance (49%), respectively.

	
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The research also pointed out that companies are using AI as a cost-cutting measure. As many as 62% of the organizations surveyed said they were using automation and AI to streamline operations, while 61% are consolidating technology stacks to reduce cost and vendor complexity.

Deel's research was conducted by Rakuten Insight between June and July 2024, surveying 250 Indian businesses with more than a thousand employees across all industries.

88% of Indian organizations open to global hiring for AI roles: Report

83% of Gen Z individuals are upskilling to secure better job opportunities, according to Simplilearn data. Notably, India has a significant number of Gen Z youth with over 600 million people under 28. The data estimated that upskilling could bring over 100 million young Indians into the workforce. By 2030, 30% of the global workforce will comprise Gen Z’, the data added.

"Gen Z is actively improving their skills to meet the changing demands of the job market, especially in the growing tech industry. This proactive approach aligns with overall economic trends focused on digital transformation and innovation across sectors," according to Simplilearn.

The data highlighted that approximately 66% of those upskilling hold bachelor’s degrees. Nearly 60% of learners are currently employed in the IT sector, and 40% are engaged in various non-IT industries.

Among the most enrolled courses, data science and business analysis led with 35.3%, followed by AI and machine learning at 33.9% and cybersecurity at 20.2%, the data mentioned.

Gen Z's impact on today's workforce comes from their digital proficiency, fresh perspectives, and relentless focus on upskilling. As a digital native generation who has grown up with a high exposure to technology, they find it easy to pick up digital tools and new ways of working. They do not have the baggage of set ways of doing things and this allows them to look at business problems afresh, without constraints, and in the context of new technologies available. It is great to see our Gen Z generation upskilling in large numbers, taking proactive steps to build the career they want, and adding value to their workplaces," Kashyap Dalal, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Simplilearn said.

Over 80% of Gen Z getting upskilled to secure new job opportunities: Simplilearn

The Media and Entertainment industry saw a 10% YoY increase in job recruitment in August 2024 as per the latest data from hiring platform Naukri.com. 

According to Naukri JobSpeak August 2024 report, covering only white-collar jobs (excluding campus placement, hyperlocal hiring, and the gig economy), mentioned that the job index point for the media and entertainment industry stood at 437 last month of the current calendar year as against 397 points in August 2023. However, hiring in this sector saw a 17.2% decline on a month-on-month basis. In July 2024, the Naukri JobSpeak Index for the Media and Entertainment industry was at 528 point.

During the subdued job market, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) jobs witnessed a 14% spike in August 2024 at 1454 points as against 1280 in the same month last year.

Additionally, the hiring in the FMCG and Pharma sectors remained strong as per the data. The FMCG sector saw an 11% year-on-year growth, driven by strong performances in Bengaluru and Kolkata. The pharma sector grew by 9% YoY with Baroda registering 44% growth in August 2024. On the other hand, the hiring dwindled in the retail and telecom sectors by 8% and 13%, respectively in August this year to 1,420 points as per the Naukri JobSpeak Index. 

Further, the data underscored that fresher recruitment remained strong in Kochi, Baroda, and Coimbatore as compared to key metro cities such as Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai. Notably, startups and unicorns outpaced foreign MNCs and Global Capability Centers (GCCs) in hiring in Bengaluru. Chennai showed signs of following a similar trajectory, while Hyderabad presented a mixed picture with startups and GCCs leading in recruitment over MNCs. 

There was a seven percent decline in job opportunities for professionals with experience of 0-3 years as compared to August 2023. However, an 11% growth was witnessed in hiring professionals with more than 16 years of experience in August 2024.

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