Any employment that deprives children of their infancy, potential, dignity, or physical or mental development is considered child labour, according to the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO). Depriving children of their fundamental rights and a brighter future feeds the vicious cycle of poverty (caused by inadequate health and education, fewer economic resources, and less access to opportunities).

Indian Constitution

Article 24 of the Indian Constitution prohibits the employment of children younger than 14 in mines, factories, or other dangerous jobs.

India’s Prevalence of Child Labour

According to the International Labour Organisation, India has the highest rate of child labourers between the ages of 5 and 17 in South Asia. 13.9% of children in rural regions and 4.7% in urban areas are engaged in child labour. Agriculture accounts for 70% of child labour, services for 20%, and industry for 10%. 10.1 million children, or 3.9% of all children, were classified as “main workers” or “marginal workers” in the 2011 census.

Motives for Child labour in India

• The primary reasons for child labour are poverty and a lack of social protection.
• Child labour has been used due to multinational firms entering the market without enough systems to hold them accountable.
• Children quitting school and joining the workforce have also been attributed to a lack of access to high-quality universal education.
• Laws designed to shield kids from dangerous employment are ineffectual and improperly applied.
• Using kids as domestic helpers in cities is an increasing trend.
• The socioeconomic conditions linked to the rigid caste structure contribute to this. Numerous surveys indicate that the highest rates of child work are seen among Muslims, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and OBC youngsters.

India’s dedication to ending child labour

India has committed to ending child work by 2025 by the Sustainable Development Goal 8.7, which calls for the abolition of all kinds of child exploitation. The country also aims to meet its promises set after ratifying ILO treaties.

What measures has India taken to end child labour?

The 1986 Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act:

The 1986 Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act restricts the types of jobs that minors may perform and governs the working conditions for minors in other industries.

Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016:

A 2016 amendment outlawed employing children under 14 and forbids teenagers (aged 14 to 18) from working in dangerous jobs or operations.

The Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) 2017 Amendment Rules:

The government designed the 2017 Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Amendment Rules. This regulation outlines the tasks and obligations of District Authorities and State Governments.

PENCIL (Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour):

A distinct website called PENCIL has been created to ascertain the efficient execution of the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme and the efficient enforcement of the Child Labour Act’s requirements.

• The government launched the NCLP Scheme in 1988 to rehabilitate working children in the nation’s 12 child labour-endemic areas.
• As part of this scheme, children between the ages of 9 and 14 are removed from the workforce and placed in NCLP Special Training Centres.
• Before being integrated into the official school system, they get bridging education, vocational training, midday meals, stipends, health care, etc.

Factories Act of 1948:

Children under 14 are not allowed to work in industries because of this legislation.

The Right to Education:

The Right to Education Act was passed in 2009 to guarantee that all children receive an education rather than labour. Many schools have been established to provide these children with free education and free resources like textbooks and uniforms.

Ratification of the following two major child labour conventions from the International Labour Organisation:

India approved two of the ILO main conventions regarding child labour in 2017:

• Convention 138: Regarding the minimum employment age
• Convention 182: Concerning the Severest Types of Child Labour