A large number of children in India are completely estranged from the joys and innocence of the formative years of their lives. Instead of enjoying their first steps on the path of life, they are forced to work in slave conditions. Child labor persists due to the inefficiency of the law, the administrative system and exploitative tendencies on the part of employers. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayChildren are employed illegally in various sectors. But agriculture is the largest sector in which children work at an early age to contribute to the family income. Rural areas employ 85% of child labor in India. They are forced to work at a young age due to factors such as poverty, unemployment, large family size and lack of adequate education. need for cheap labor to produce large numbers of goods. Companies preferred to recruit children because they could be employed at lower pay, better used in the factory environment, were unaware of their basic rights, and possessed higher levels of trust. The practice of child labor continued even in post-independence India, although the government continued to take legislative measures against child labor. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights passed in 1948 incorporated the fundamental human rights and needs of children for appropriate progression and growth in their younger years. Article 24 of the Constitution prohibits the employment of children under the age of 14 in factories, mines and other dangerous jobs. Article 21A and Article 45 promise to impart free and compulsory education to all children between the ages of 6 and 14 years. The Child Labor (Prohibition and Regulation) Act enacted in 1986, prohibited children under the age of 14 from being employed as children. work in dangerous occupations. Significantly, in 2009, India passed the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act. More recently, the Child Labor (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act 2016, passed by Parliament, prohibits “the employment of children in all occupations and of adolescents in hazardous occupations and processes”. Here, teenagers mean those under 18 years of age; children to those under 14 years old. The law also imposes a severe penalty on anyone who employs or allows teenagers to work. However, child labor has now reached alarming proportions. By one estimate, India contributes to a third of child labor in Asia and a quarter of child labor in the world. Prevalence of Child Labour: Child labor in India today is not limited to the agricultural sector. In recent times, children are engaged in activities such as beedi manufacturing, brick kilns, carpet weaving, commercial sexual exploitation, construction, firework and match factories, dhabas, hotels, cotton seed manufacturing hybrids, leather, mines, quarries, silk, synthetic gems. , etc. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Conclusion The government should reduce the incidence of child labor through reforms and investments in education. Midday meals should be re-emphasized; Homeless children should be provided with shelter through Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan boarding schools, and laws prohibiting child labor should be more strictly enforced.