Child Labour in India: In India, nearly one third part of the population is represented by the children below 14 years of age. Their number is nearly 30 crores. Our country occupies first position in the number of child labour in the world. But the percentage of the child labour in the total population of the country is only 5.2. In India 88.64 percent of child labourers are found in rural areas, and 11.36 percent of children are found working in urban areas.

Child labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986 has considered the child labour to a person who has less than 14 years of age but earns little wages. The Act has prohibited child labour to work in Railways and its campus, Biri making, carpet making, cement production, weaving, dyeing and printing of clothes, preparation of explosive materials, lac industry, soap industry, leather industries and building construction. The Act has decided 6 hours as the maximum hours of service rendered by a child labour per day with a rest period of half an hour. The Act has forbidden services of child labour from 7 P. M. to 8 A. M. In the Act, there is provision of one-day holiday per week. Keeping of employment register and age certificate of child labour have been made mandatory. The offenders are liable to punishment in the form of fine and imprisonment. In case of first time offence, the imprisonment is of two months to one year and a fine of Rs. 10,000 to 20,000 or both. For second time offences, the imprisonment is six months to two years.