The main aim of the Act is to prohibit the employment of children below the age of 14 years in hazardous occupations and employment. According to Section 3 of the Act, in any occupations mentioned under Part A of the Schedule or in any workshop where any process mentioned under Part B of the Schedule, a child is not permitted to work in.
According to Section 7 of the Act, a child is not allowed to work overtime, work between 7 pm to 8 am and work in two establishments simultaneously. A child must be given a whole day of leave every week. A child is not permitted to work for more than 6 hours a day out of which he cannot be permitted to work for more than 3 hours at a stretch without an hours break.
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According to the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016, the Act has completely banned Child Labour i.e. employment of children below the age of 14 in all establishments and enterprises, except the ones run by his family only if it does not affect the child’s education. Child labour under this Act is now a Cognizable offence.
- Employing a child below the age of 14 years is a cognizable offence for which a jail term of up to 2 years is provided.
- Other than the family business, a child may be employed as an artist in the entertainment industry, except circus, after all, safety measures are taken for their benefit.
- An adolescent can be employed but only after fulfilling the condition of recording all data about the adolescent, his working hours and nature of work. Also, within 30 days of employing an adolescent, information about the establishment must be sent to a local inspector
- A child cannot be employed in any hazardous occupation such as jobs related to the railways, foundries, mines, ports, a toxic, inflammable or explosive substance, restaurants, circus etc.
- A child cannot be employed in hazardous processes such as bidi making, cement manufacture, tanning, soap manufacture, working with toxic metals or substance, manufacture of dye, pesticides, insecticides, food processing, warehousing etc.
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