Tanmay Goyal supervised by Dr. Nimmi Rangaswamy received his Master of Science – Dual Degree  in Computer Science and Engineering (CSD). Here’s a summary of his research work on The Gamified Grind: Algorithmic Control and Everyday Resistance in India ’s Platform Economy:

This thesis examines the interplay of “two-sided gamification” in India’s fast-growing on-demand food delivery industry. While platforms such as Zomato and Swiggy use algorithmic management and game-like incentives to standardize gig work, delivery agents respond with creative, sometimes subversive strategies of their own—what we term “counter-gamification.” Drawing on extensive fieldwork across Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru over two years, the research unpacks how algorithmic frameworks for order allocation, performance metrics, and tiered benefits intersect with workers’ lived realities. On one hand, platforms promise flexibility and straightforward entry into waged employment for populations often excluded from formal labor markets. On the other hand, they subject workers to opaque policies, unpredictable shifts in incentives, and limited recourse against unfair practices. Through interviews and broader quantitative trends from 76 engaged participants, this study illuminates the tension between top-down control and everyday acts of worker agency, including selective order acceptance, “gaming” performance metrics, and peer-based support networks. The findings highlight the need for nuanced policy interventions and system designs that support fair labor practices, while also foregrounding the distinct ways agents in the Global South negotiate and reshape platform-driven labor structures. 

June 2025