If we would talk about children living in India; it is to have attention that more than 4 crore children are working instead of attending school. Around 1 lakh children are working in hazardous industrial area like quarry, Hearth and carpets industry where a lot of works are imposed at low wage. Despite being given the “Right to Education” by Indian Constitution; these children are not even fortunate to see the face of school.
According to statistics, there is a thought of some people that more number of children in a house means the higher income. Thus, child labor is supposed to be a part of Indian Economy. After independence, children have been considered as a mean of income due to poverty. This kind of thinking not only increased the population but also increases lack of education. Casteism System and Bonded labor have kept worsen the condition of children. If we look over the data of the last few decades, child labor is not even now getting controlled effectively.
In 1971, child labor was more than 10753987 in India. In 1981, the number increase to 11285349. Although there was some reduction recorded from 1981 to 1991 but still in 1991 more than 11285349 children were wages. After 1991, the new economy policy was effective in India to speed up development but it could not improve current condition of child labor. Number of child labor in 2005 recorded more than 12666377. Even after, when India was growing rapidly towards modernism in 2011, plenty of children were forced to work for food.
It is not that our constitution has ignored the rights of children. It has been said in section-24 of the constitution to ban child labor. In 1981, the government of India formed the Gurupad Swamy Committee to study the issue of child labor. It was revealed in the study that the biggest cause of child labor was poverty and hence any law would not work if poverty prevails. The committee suggested that the children must be banned from working in hazardous industries. After the recommendation of Gurupad Committee, the child labor Act was enacted in 1986, in which the industry was marked where the children cannot work as well as the conditions for child labor in other industries were fixed on the basis of this law. Following all these activities, National Child Labor Policy was formed in 1987. Despite all these steps, government has achieved limited success.
In 2016, the government amended child labor laws and approved child labor in the marked industry with certain conditions. Some experts consider it wrong decision taken by the government.
If we talk about history, almost one century ago, the great freedom fighter Gopal Krishna Gokhale had raise a voice in Imperial Vidhan Parisad for the education of children but many feudal protested the voice and Indian society was kept deprive of a historical initiative.
Many incidents took place in the world, freedom moments started, country got independent from the British, constitution came into effect, setting on democracy from monarchy, many rights came related to women and children, many government ruled but it is unfortunate whatever children were facing issue so long ago they are still facing.
Still reduction in the number of child labor is not as aspect. A report says there is reduction of child labor with 2.2% though out country but rapid increment found in urban area with 50%.
