Direction(1-5): A passage is given with 5 questions following it. Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives.
As per the Child Labor (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, amended in 2016 (“CLPR Act”), a “Child” is defined as any person below the age of 14, and the CLPR Act prohibits employment of a Child in any employment including as a domestic help. It is a cognizable criminal offence to employ a Child for any work. Children between age of 14 and 18 are defined as “Adolescent” and the law allows Adolescent to be employed except in the listed hazardous occupation and processes which include mining, inflammable substance and explosives related work and any other hazardous process as per the Factories Act, 1948. In 2001, an estimated 1% of all child workers, or about 1,20,000 children in India were in a hazardous job. Notably, the Constitution of India prohibits child labor in hazardous industries (but not in non-hazardous industries) as a Fundamental Right under Article 24. UNICEF estimates that India with its larger population, has the highest number of laborers in the world under 14 years of age, while sub-Saharan African countries have the highest percentage of children who are deployed as child laborers. The International Labor Organization estimates that agriculture, at 60 percent, is the largest employer of child labor in the world, while the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization estimates 70% of child labor is deployed in agriculture and related activities. Outside of agriculture, child labor is observed in almost all informal sectors of the Indian economy.
Companies including Gap, Primark, Monsanto have been criticized for child labor in their products. The companies claim they have strict policies against selling products made by underage children, but there are many links in a supply chain making it difficult to oversee them all. In 2011, after three years of Primark’s effort, BBC acknowledged that its award-winning investigative journalism report of Indian child labor use by Primark was a fake. The BBC apologized to Primark, to Indian suppliers and all its viewers. Another company that has come under much scrutiny was Nike. Nike was under pressure to speak up about alleged sweatshops that harbored children that the company was exploiting to make their sneakers. Since then Nike has come out with a separate web page that specifically points out where they get their products from and where their products are manufactured.
1. According to the estimation made by UNICEF, which countries have the highest percentage of children who are deployed as child laborers?
A. African-American countries
B. Subtropical countries
C. Sub-Saharan African countries
D. Sub-Asian countries
Answer - Option C
Explanation -
Refer to, “UNICEF estimates that India with its larger population, has the highest number of laborers in the world under 14 years of age, while sub-Saharan African countries have the highest percentage of children who are deployed as child laborers”.
2. According to the passage, what is the estimation of The International Labor Organization?
A. that agriculture, at 60 percent, is the largest employer of adult labor in the world.
B. that agriculture, at 60 percent, is the largest employer of child labor in the world.
C. that agriculture, at 60 percent, is the largest employer of women labor in the world.
D. that agriculture, at 60 percent, is the smallest employer of child labor in the world.
Answer - Option B
Explanation -
Refer to, “The International Labor Organization estimates that agriculture, at 60 percent, is the largest employer of child labor in the world”.
3. Under which article, the Constitution of India prohibits child labor in hazardous industries as a Fundamental Right?
A. Article 42
B. Article 26
C. Article 12
D. Article 24
Answer - Option D
Explanation -
Refer to, “Notably, the Constitution of India prohibits child labor in hazardous industries (but not in non-hazardous industries) as a Fundamental Right under Article 24”.
4. Which companies have been criticized for child labor in their products?
A. Alcoa, Banesto, Bahko
B. Capcom, Datsun, Elron
C. Fonterra, Fuji, Glaxo
D. Gap, Primark, Monsanto
Answer - Option D
Explanation -
Refer to, “Companies including Gap, Primark, Monsanto have been criticized for child labor in their products”.
5. In 2011 what was acknowledged by BBC after three years of Primark’s effort?
A. that children between age of 14 and 18 are defined as “Adolescent”
B. that its award-winning investigative journalism report of Indian child labor use by Primark was a fake
C. that its daily news bulletin was not much appreciated by a particular group of viewers.
D. that its competitors were exploiting the rules regulated by Child Labor Prohibition and Regulation Act
Answer - Option B
Explanation -
Refer to, “In 2011, after three years of Primark’s effort, BBC acknowledged that its award-winning investigative journalism report of Indian child labor use by Primark was a fake”.