Role of women in schooling and child labour decision: the case of urban boys in India

Abstract

This paper uses household level data from National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) of India, the 55th round (1999–2000), to show that for urban male children there exists significant wage incentive for schooling, though school dropout rate and child labour incidence are not so small. The parents’ level of education plays an important role in reducing this tendency; thus establishing the linkage between social and human capital outcomes in the family. We also look at the incidence of harmful and manual occupations among the child labour. Mother’s education now appears as a very important factor in curbing these incidences; supporting earlier findings that women’s empowerment (one important indicator of which would be female educational level) is indeed instrumental in increasing parental awareness.

Appendix: Detailed classification of Manual and Harmful work

Manual work will cover one or more of the following occupational groups of the National Classification of Occupations 1968 (NSSO, 2001):

• Division 5: Service workers:

• Group 52: cooks, waiters, bartenders and related workers;

• Group 53: maids and other housekeeping service workers;

• Group 54: building caretakers, sweepers, cleaners and related workers;

• Group 55: launders, dry cleaners and pressers;

• Group 56: hairdressers, barbers, beauticians and related workers;

• Family 570: fire fighters;

• Family 574: watchmen, gatekeepers;

• Family 579: protective service workers not elsewhere classified;

• Division 6: Farmers, Fishermen, Hunters, Loggers and related workers:

• Group 63: agricultural labourers;

• Group 64: plantation labourers and related workers;

• Group 65: other farm workers;

• Group 66: forestry workers;

• Group 67: hunters and related workers;

• Group 68: fishermen and related workers;

• Divisions 7–9: Production & related workers, Transport equipment operators and Labourers:

• All groups excluding Group 85 (electrical fitters and related workers) and Group 86 (broadcasting station and sound equipment operators and cinema projectionists).

• In some cases occupation codes were not reported and in those cases 5-digit industry codes of National Industrial Classification, 2004 prepared by Central Statistical Organisation were consulted to identify whether those children were actually manual or non-manual labourers.

The list of harmful works in Indian context are given below:

• 155 Manufacture of beverages;

• 261 Manufacture of glass and glass products;

• 269 Manufacture of non-metallic mineral products n.e.c.;

• 281 Manufacture of structural metal products, tanks, reservoirs and steam generators;

• 289 Manufacture of other fabricated metal products; metal working service activities;

• 291 Manufacture of general purpose machinery;

• 292 Manufacture of special purpose machinery;

• 293 Manufacture of domestic appliances, n.e.c.;

• 451 Site preparation in construction sector;

• 452 Building of complete construction or parts thereof, civil engineering;

• 453 Building installation;

• 454 Building completion;

• 455 Renting of construction or demolition equipment with operator;

• 602 Other land transport;

• 603 Transport via pipelines;

• 1511 Production, processing and preservation of meat, fish, fruit vegetables, oils and fats;

• 1512 Processing and preserving of fish and fish products;

• 1541 Manufacture of bakery products;

• 2011 Manufacture of veneer sheets; manufacture of plywood, laminated board, particle board and other panels and boards;

• 2022 Manufacture of builders’ carpentry and joinery.