(IGP) Special Current Affairs Material for IAS (Pre) 2013 - PIB "Topic : The Right of Every Child: The Right to Education"

(IGP) Special Current Affairs Material for IAS (Pre) 2013

Chapter: Gist of Press Information Bureau Articles

Topic: The Right of Every Child: The Right to Education

Q. What are the data of child labour at national level and at international level?

According to the 2001 Census there are 1.26 crores economically active children in the age-group of 5-14 years. Among the states, Uttar Pradesh accounts for a larger share of close to one fourth of all child labour in India followed by Andhra Pradesh. Maharashtra and West Bengal respectively garnered nine and eight percent of India’s child employment.

The share of Uttar Pradesh has dramatically shot up in the last one decade from less than 13 per cent in the mid-1990s to close to 23 per cent in 2004-05, which is a cause for concern. On the other hand, the share of Andhra Pradesh seems to have declined quite considerably during this period.

The most recent estimates suggest 127 million boys and 88 million girls are involved in child labour with 74 million boys and 41 million girls in the worst forms at international level.

ILO estimates that there are 21.8 crore child labourers worldwide. The Government of India’s 2001 census estimated that 1.27 crore are involved in child labour. This means that about 3.6% of the total labour force in India is constituted by children.

Q. What is the NCLP Scheme?

The NCLP Scheme has been in operation since 1988. During the 10th Plan, the NCLP projects were enhanced from 150 to 250 districts.

Under the Scheme children withdrawn from work are sent to special schools where they are provided with education, vocational training, nutrition, stipend, health care facilities etc. The children withdrawn from work are kept in special schools for a maximum period of three years to prepare them to join the regular education system.

The Government proposes to expand the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme to all child labour endemic districts in the country during the 11th Plan. The Scheme is at present operational in 250 districts in 20 States wherein 7,328 special schools are functioning for the children withdrawn from work. Over 4.20 lakh children withdrawn from work are at present covered under the Scheme.

Q. What is the proposal of 12th Plan in respect of NCLP and RTE?

The 12th Plan Proposal of the Planning Commission calls for an effective alignment of the NCLP Scheme with the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE Act, 2009).

Accordingly, the NCLP Schools will serve as Special Training Centre for un-enrolled and out-of-school children in accordance with the provisions of Section 4 of the RTE Act and Rule 5 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Rules, 2010.

For this purpose, all such children will be admitted to a neighborhood school of the State Government/local authority. After such admission, the children will undergo the special training for being mainstreamed into the regular school in an age appropriate class.

Q. When World Day against Child Labour is celebrated?

The World Day against Child Labour was launched by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2002 to generate awareness about the practice of child labour in different sectors on 12 June.

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