Child Labor in India

Mindy Collins

Child labor in India has always been a problem. The only legislation against it before last October was a restriction on which jobs children under fourteen could have. Children under fourteen were not allowed to be employed in dangerous occupations. The last legislation that was passed limited adolescent work in hotels, restaurants and as servants. However, this legislation has not changed anything. As families are becoming more nuclear, it is important that all of the people within the household help with its upkeep. As a result, the children are thrust into the workforce sometimes only earning the equivalent of two dollars and twenty-five cents per month.
With the help of recruitment agencies, the number of children under fourteen who are in the workforce has grown to twelve million. There is a possibility that an extra forty-eight million exist, but are not recorded. Out of this total of sixty-million, it is uncertain how many are working illegally. Nevertheless, these laws are not being enforced. It truly would be hard to keep up with all of the children because of the fact that they are working in the privacy of their employer’s home. Due to the private residency factor, it is hard to raid a home as opposed to a factory. Proponents of this illegal work say that they are happy to be a part of helping out the impoverished and supplying jobs. Others claim ignorance of the laws. In addition, the families of some send the children to the city to have a better life than rural living. It doesn’t matter that this work has previously gotten a bad rap for abuse and failure to allocate payment. The focus on regulating employers needs to shift to the recruiters in order for the madness to end.
Sixty million children is worse than excessive, especially to be under fourteen. It certainly does sound like a slave trade, working from sun-up to almost midnight and receiving beatings. The payment is also extremely low. The government needs to take some actions to support their laws. The overwork of these young children seems inhumane whether or not the families need the money.
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