Child Labor: A Social Evil

Introduction

Child labour is a curse to our society and a crime against humanity. Though poverty is the
main cause for child labour throughout the world, society, parents, government, individuals,
low wages, unemployment, poor standard of living, and backwardness are directly
responsible for child labor in India. In India, however, there is no law which actually provides
for the elimination of child labour. Article 25 of The Constitution of India states that no child
below 14 years will be employed in any factories or mines or engaged in any hazardous
employment. But, it does not lay any emphasis on the elimination of child labor. Although,
the Child labour Prohibition and Regulation Act of 1986 has suggested reasonable working
conditions for children working in hazardous conditions and the term hazardous has not been
clearly defined anywhere in the Constitution and in different legislation proposed on child
labor. Thus, the interpretation of the term hazardous is ambiguous and inadequate especially
in the case of child labor.

The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016, passed in
Parliament prohibits the engagement of children in all occupations and of adolescents in
hazardous occupations and processes wherein adolescents refers to those who are under 18
years of age and children to those who are under 14 years. The Act also imposes a fine on
anyone who employs or permits adolescents to work.1 The government alone cannot deal
with such a great problem and a change in the attitude of every individual is needed to
remove this social evil.

Research Objectives

The researcher is keen to know about-

1. The present condition of the country regarding child labor.

2. The steps taken by the government to remove child labor
3. The laws which restrain child labor.

1 See, http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/A-law-that-allows-child-
labour/article14560563.ece
Research Questions

1. What leads to child labor?

2. What are the steps that have been taken by the government to counter child labour?
3. Has there been any social movement based on abolishing of child labour? If yes, then
what are those movements?
4. What are the statutory provisions which safeguards the children from child labor?

Review of Literature

Article-

1. http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/A-law-that-allows-child-
labour/article14560563.ece

This article talks about the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016,
which prohibits the engagement of children in all occupations and imposes a fine on anyone
who employs or permits adolescents to work.

Bhagwat Sharma

BC0140019

B.Com., LL.B. (III Year)