Social Problems Faced By India
Some of the problems that exist today are the
carry-overs from the 1991 reforms. These areas have been tackled by the government,
but have been largely ineffective.
One of the problems is that of the recent nuclear testing that is undertaken
in the country.
The U.S. has already imposed sanctions on India. In addition, over US$1 billion
of loan has been withheld by the World Bank. The entire nuclear testing situation
has major implications on foreign investments although it may not impact the
natives since most of them relied on primary production activities and not
trade for a living.
Another major problem is the low literacy level. Although many programs were
introduced
in India to educate the young, the illiteracy level still remained high mainly
because the poor have been excluded from the program as the country had weak
social provision for these people. Many opportunities generated from the reform
and growth, are not given to them. In addition, the higher educational institutions
are not accessible to the poor since most of the institutions are not located
in the rural areas. Moreover, since most of the people who live in the rural
areas are involved in primary production (farming), they may not see the need
for education.
Many people in India are still in the state of poverty for two reasons. Firstly,
because in
rural areas, where three-quarters of the poor live, inadequate efforts have
been made to
distribute opportunities. Land and tenancy reforms have not been implemented
in most
states, weakening the capacity of poor people to respond to market opportunities.
Secondly, social policies have failed to provide access to health and education
services needed to sustain growth with equity. As a result, at national level,
poor health and poor education have hampered efforts to develop labour-intensive
industries and raise skill levels.
The fact that India still lags behind other developing countries is attributed
to its poor
infrastructure. That is why many investors would not want to set up their
businesses there.
As mentioned earlier, if India wants to achieve rapid growth, it will need
to further develop
its infrastructure.
Furthermore, India provides very little political stability. There is excessive
politicking and
corruption in the government. The government has narrow agendas and loses
sight of the
broader picture. In addition, being the second largest democracy, there is
freedom of
expression. This means that government may be made up of people who just want
their
voices to be heard, and not for the national interests.
Besides all the major problems that India is facing, there is also uneven
economic
performance across the different states. High rate of infant mortality is
present due to
many social deprivations.
Child Labour and Education in India
Child labour is one of the greatest problems facing the children of India. India is known for having the largest number of child labourers in the world, 86.4 % of which are employed in the agriculture industry. 111 million children (almost 1 in every 3) are involved in some form of child labour that accounts for 20% of India’s Gross National Product. These statistics are quite alarming, and it is apparent that action must be taken to improve this appalling situation. While there are a number of organisations and networks throughout the nation fighting to abolish or at least rectify child labour, there are a number of reasons that make it such a difficult battle.
The first major problem is the hours of work. Although the Factories Act of 1948 states that children may not work for longer than 4.5 hours a day, they often work night shifts than can last from 3a.m. till 11p.m. at night. Children as young as 3 often arrive at factories before dawn and do not return home before 9p.m. While at the factories, children are provided with only one set of clothing and are poorly fed. The greatest concern, however, is that these factories are a threat to the children’s physical and mental health. All day long Indian children inhale toxic acids, and are constantly surrounded by occupational hazards. Many even suffer from sexual and psychological abuse, as well as the difficulty of dealing with being separated from their parents.
Sadly, the basic attitude towards child labour is “indifference and helplessness.” Many parents encourage their young children to join the work force knowing exactly how horrible the conditions are. Why, one might ask, would a loving parent subject their child to this unjust treatment? There are a number of reasons. The most frequent justification for child labour is that through it a child learns valuable skills. This excuse, however, does not hold much validity. For example, the skills they are taught are typically low level and would therefore not be beneficial in increasing their chance of becoming employed later in life. Another cause of so many children being forced to work is that the Indian education system is “inadequate and often inaccessible.” The lack of schools leaves many children no option other than to work. Recent studies convey that there are only 5 lakh formal schools for a population of 239 million children. 4 out of 5 children never even attend school, and 70% drop out before entering Class IV. Finally, and probably the number one rationale is poverty. Parents explain that their family’s survival is reliant upon the their children’s income. It is much easier for a child to find a job because employers know they are more pliable and will work for lower wages than adults.
Children Activist Groups:
1)Child Relief and You (CRY) (one of the most prominent groups in India involved in child welfare)
2)Asha (action group for basic education in India)
3)Volunteers in Service to Education in India (VSEI)
Laws Passed Regarding Child Labour:
1) Factories Act of 1881 (first act passed)
2) Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act of 1996 (most recent)
Rights of a Child adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in 1989
Parents’ attitudes are changing for the better:
- now a willingness to spend money on child's welfare
- increased desire to send children to school
- increase in parents' bargaining power
