JournalEdit

44

Source: observer. com

GENDER All over the world women are facing gender
EQUALITY IN inequality issues in almost all the fields and aspects
LABOUR, STILL of society. Many countries have acknowledged the
A LUXURY? NO! issue and have taken steps to reduce gender
- AN ICELAND inequality. The best example of a country that has
reduced inequality to a great extent and is ranked
MODEL the first in the World Economic Forum's gender gap
index report for 11 consecutive years since 2009 is
By V. Pragnya Iceland. Iceland is ranked No.1 for closing the
gender gap up to 87%. In 2020, Iceland had only a
I B.A.Economics 12.2% gap. It is said that pay gap parity will be
reached by 2068 if inequality between women and
men continues to decrease at the same rate,
according to the WEF Report. How is Iceland able to
achieve this whereas other countries are failing to
close this gender gap and few countries have even
failed to acknowledge the gender inequality issue?

page 12

45

Source: World Economic Forum

Well, the answer for this goes back This historical event has led Iceland
to the year 1975 when the women in to reach this position at a very fast
Iceland decided to call for a strike pace and to implement gender
and marched across streets to equality in their lives. This ideology
demand equal pay as they were can be seen in the inspiring feminist
paid 60% less than their male laws that the Government and its
counterparts. On Friday, October judicial system has enforced in the
24, 1975, women left their formal country. Listed below are a few laws
and informal work to "demonstrate and policies that the governments of
the indispensable work of women Iceland have enforced.
for Iceland's economy and society".
This historical day was called "The The Act on Equal Status and Equal
long Friday" as the whole of Rights of Women and Men was
Iceland was shut down for a day. established in 2000 and was
In the year following the strike, amended in 2008 by emphasizing the
Iceland set up the Gender Equality goal of equality through all spheres of
Council and passed the Gender society. It aims to fight gender
Equality Act, which prohibited discrimination, gaps in wages, and to
gender discrimination in the make binding decisions in cases
workplace and schools. The strike concerning gender-based violence.
was repeated in 2005, 2010, and The law draws out a roadmap to
2016. achieve gender equality.

Article 15 of this law states that no public 46
company board or government council or
committee may have less than 40% From the economic point of view,
gender equality. The law also states that the equal wage for equal work will
any company with more than 25 boost the GDP. If this law is
employees must have a gender equality implemented, the income per
program in place, which will review goals capita and the income tax
every three years. These laws will make received by the government will
sure that labour participation always increase.
remains stable with an equal amount of
workers from both genders. Stability and Iceland has the best
equal participation in the labour market is maternity/paternity policy in the
positively correlated to economic world. The official law, created in
development. 2000, is known as the Icelandic
Act on Maternity/Paternity and
Article 23 of the same law mandates that Parental Leave. The government
gender equality must be taught covers parental leave for birth,
throughout all levels of the educational adoption, and foster care for all
system, which aims to prepare both sexes employees including self-employed
to play an equal role in society, including in Iceland, paying 80% of earned
work and family life. salary to new parents.

Now is the time for a drumroll. Iceland is Parents split the time of 12 months
the first country in the world to mandate leave equally to ensure children
'Equal pay for equal work' irrespective of grow up with equal care from both
gender, sexuality or ethnicity. “On parents, and workplaces are
January 1st, 2018, companies and balanced. This law provides
institutions employing 25 or more workers, women with increased labour
on an annual basis, will be required to market security and enables them
obtain equal pay certification of their to combine work and family life
equal pay system…… it aims to reduce and reduces the opportunity cost
gender-based pay discrimination and of childbearing. It also reduces the
promote greater equality in wages time spent by women on unpaid
between women and men, equality of work as the male also will share an
economic standing which will result, equal load in taking care of the
among other things, eventually, in more domestic chores.
equal pension payments for women and
men”, says the Government of Iceland.
Implementing a law like this is an
inspiration for many countries and it is an
honour to all the women from the past
and present who have voiced out for this
issue.

Iceland seems to be like a fantasy 47
land filled with magical laws and
policies. While Iceland offers The proportion of importance
equality in the workplace to its given to raw GDP drivers and
people on a platter, in other welfare factors must be balanced
countries, equality is still a luxury and resilient. If every country
that can only be dreamt of. It feels takes action to reduce inequality
as if the politicians and the in the workplace, the global
lawmakers of Iceland have economy will have a huge
established equality in labour positive impact.
effortlessly. Being a small island with
a strong economy, its core reason Bibliography:
for having a consistent, well-
developed economy was because 1. Meghan Werft.(March 2017).
their main focus was on gender “7 Laws That Show Why
equality- a welfare factor. Other Iceland Ranks First for Gender
countries should also shift its focus Equality” , Global Citizen
from raw GDP boosters and change
their focus on well-being criteria like 2. World Economic Forum. (Dec
Iceland to achieve economic 2020). “Global Gender Gap
stability. Report 2020”.
3. Government of Iceland. (Jan
2018). “Equal pay certification”.

DID YOU KNOW?

In U.S, people avoided wearing white clothing after
Labor Day as it unofficially marked the end of
summer.

48

Source: Kouji Tsuru

LABOUR AND Labour is often viewed as the backbone of the
POLLUTION economy, quite rightly, since no economy can
function steadily without an active labour force. The
By Sarayu M global working population (approximately 3 billion
II B.A.Economics workers) sustains world economies and propels them.

page 12 Environmental regulations are generally considered to
be a hassle on the economy and its workings.
Restrictions that are placed due to environmental
concerns can slow down production and lead to
closures and unemployment, thereby increasing costs
for customers. Here, we look at pollution and how it
can impact workers. It is true that in the short run,
placing regulations in the workplace due to
environmental issues such as pollution can have
negative effects. However, it has been proved in
various studies that in the long run, helping solve the
pollution crisis can massively help workers and
improve productivity as well.

49

A study on the impact of pollution worker Source: Money Control
productivity with regards to a garment
factory in India showed that productivity Another issue is how pollution can
suffered in response to higher pollution affect women disproportionately.
exposure. Moreover, worker productivity Data from Santiago, Chile show that
in low income countries is impacted with the rise in pollution levels,
several times higher than in higher- women (and women with children,
income environments. Another study on especially) are more likely to work
the effects of pollution on labour supply fewer hours due to health
based in Mexico City. The closure of a complications.
large refinery in the city led to an 8%
decrease in pollution in the surrounding Focusing on worker productivity is
neighbourhood. crucial for two reasons. Firstly, the
health effects of pollution can be
What’s more, a 1% increase in sulphur damaging and in the long run can
dioxide results in a 0.61% decrease in add up to even hospitalisation and
hours worked. A third study, Severe Air mortality. Secondly, examining the
Pollution and Labour Productivity, levels of productivity, that are
examined daily fluctuations in worker usually monetised, makes it easy to
output for manufacturing workers at a bring forth cost-benefit analysis of
plant in Hebei, China. pollution prevention-related policies.
Productivity can be quantified in a
The huge levels of pollution resulted in a straightforward manner as the loss in
documented reduction in productivity, as worker earnings.
well as a fall in product quality with rise in
pollution. It is even more unfortunate that
these long-term workers earn piece-wage
rates (with minimal pay) for monotonous
tasks done over eight-hour shifts.

Source: The Financial Express

50

Source : ENV - Linkage Model

Projections of the costs of outdoor air This figure shows the huge amount of
pollution in The Economic Consequences projected indirect costs that will have to
of Outdoor Air Pollution show that the be met in the coming years. The problem
impacts of air pollution are projected to with such high indirect costs as a result
be much more severe in the coming of the effects on the workforce is that
decades. The impact of air pollution, the growth rate of the economy lowers.
including impacts on health expenditure, Furthermore, as these shocks become
labour productivity and agricultural crop larger over time, the cheapest
yields, are projected to lead to global alternatives to adjust will be made use of
economic costs that gradually increase to first. Subsequent larger shocks need to
1% of global GDP by 2060. be outweighed at higher costs.
Increased pollution without regulation
The total market costs (both direct and means that there is a reduction in the
indirect costs) include the above stated delivery of appropriate work
market costs, i.e., (i) change in value environments that sustain jobs and have
added generated in labour productivity, a direct impact on individuals’ health.
(ii) increased health expenditure; and (iii) Although there is no one-size fits-all
the change in value added generated in policy for reducing the effects of
agriculture from changes in crop yields. pollution on the labour force, basic
While the direct costs increase implementation of policies and
approximately at the same pace of programmes will aid an extensive
economic activity, the indirect costs workforce.
increase rapidly over time.

51

These can include implementing air 3. Guillermo Montt .(March 2018).
quality standards, fuel quality
standards, emission taxes, automobile “The Gendered Effects of Air
emission standards, or incentivising
end-of-pipe technology that can Pollution on Labour
reduce pollution. Looking at pollution
and its detrimental impacts on workers Supply”.Research Department
is critical to bring about policies to
reduce pollution and thereby improve Working. International Labour
productivity, and thereby the
economy in the long-run. Office (ILO)

Bibliography: 4. Rema Hanna, Paulina Oliva.
(August 2011). “The Effect of
1. Li, Teng, Liu, Haoming, Salvo, Pollution on Labor Supply: Evidence
Alberto.(2015). “Severe Air Pollution from a Natural Experiment in
and Labor Productivity”.IZA Mexico City”. NBER Working Paper.
Discussion Papers. Institute for the National Bureau of Economic
Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn. Research, Massachusetts.

2. Achyuta Adhvaryu, Namrata Kala, 5. Elisa Lanzi, Rob Delink. (June
Anant Nyshadham.(May 2015).
“Management and Shocks to Worker 2016). “The Economic
Productivity”. International Growth
Centre (IGC). Consequences of Outdoor Air

Pollution”. OECD (OECD Publishing,

Paris)

DID YOU KNOW?

Historically, May Day was also used as a tool to
showcase political strength. Adolf Hitler,Fidel Castro and

Nikita Khrushchev took to streets to rally and parade.

52

Source: Times of India

BATTLE AGAINST What do you call a person who is happy on Monday?
INDIA’S BIGGEST Hint: Associated with the article. The predicaments
encountered by most of the countries in the world are
ECONOMIC poverty and unemployment. Having a positive
ISSUE- relationship, it acts as a vicious circle as well. The most
prevailing unemployment with underemployment and
UNEMPLOYMENT labour surplus revolves around the world. In India, the
unemployment rate is 8.2% as of December 2020. The
By G.Harshini, 2019 fiscal year would depict an unemployment rate of
5.36%. The rise in the unemployment rate from 5.36%
I B.A.Economics to 8.2% is mainly due to lockdown. When the lockdown
was foisted on March 24, the unemployment rate shot
up to 23.52% in April and 21.73% in May. The Bureau of
Labor Statistics survey revealed that though the
unemployment rate had declined to 6.9% in October
2020, it was twice the February rate of 3.5%. From the
data above, it is obvious that people who were jobless
faced mass layoffs during the pandemic.

page 12

53

Due to the extension of lockdown Source: Statista
imposed by the Indian government,
most of the workers have been thrown On the other side, most of the
out of the job, especially in the field of workers who have left the job
information technology. have started their jobs like
Many firms, large companies, and few entrepreneurs in the field of
offices across the country have food catering and serving.
announced massive layoffs and shut There have been some
down the business. The important part industries and sectors which
would be the daily workers, migrant have shown a gradual increase
laborers, and wage earners had been during the pandemic.
severely affected due to this growing
pandemic. The life of daily workers, The most essential and frontline
wage earners, and migrant workers will
affect the economic growth of many industry would be
developed nations and developing
nations like India. pharmaceutical. India has

Sectors like tourism, travel, media, and already set its foot in the global
automobiles that contribute significantly
to our GDP had been halted abruptly. If market. The demand for
we calculate the tourism sector, for
most of the developing countries, it is a Hydroxychloroquine across the
major source of employment but most
destinations were entirely closed in
April and May 2020. This sector
contributed almost $194 billion, which is
6.8% of India's GDP during 2019. The
Indian tourism industry saw a revenue
loss of Rs.1.25 trillion in 2020 due to the
shutdown of hotels, tourist spots, and
suspension of flight operations.

world has shifted focus on India

as the exporter of

pharmaceuticals. The Indian

pharma industry has been seen

as a robust and extremely cost-

effective supplier.

54

Likewise, the Serum Institute of India had Conclusion:
The Government of India has already
shaken hands with Oxford in the taken various steps like poverty
alleviation programs, PM Employment
production of a vaccine. Social distancing generation program, Start-Up India,
PM Berojgari Bhatta Yojana, an
and work from home has been the new unemployment allowance scheme,
Integrated rural development
normal. So, going to shops, malls, program, Employment Assurance
Scheme (EAS)program, National Rural
crowded markets, theatres will be Employment Guarantee Act, etc.
Though it has taken various steps to
difficult in the near future. To recover lower the unemployment rate, it has
failed in achieving the target. The
from these difficulties, most economic unemployment problem can be
lowered by creating awareness on the
activities in the world are moving to schemes that have been already
introduced since most of the people
digital platforms. The revolving trend is are unaware of the policies framed.

OTT platforms and E-commerce based l
activities. All these require immense

computing powers. Also, E-commerce

firms like Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, had

seen enhanced sales during and after

lockdown. Though online food ordering

and delivery platforms like Food Panda,

Swiggy, Zomato, and Domino’s pizza saw

a fall at the initial stages of lockdown,

they are now running in profits. It will be

expected to touch $12.53 billion by 2023.

There is truly a thread connected when The government should use labour-
we touch upon the E-commerce firm intensive techniques to employ more
Swiggy. In Swiggy, 2,18,000 employees number of labourers. The Government
are working in more than 300 cities across should make the age of retirement of
India. The major share of 2,18,000 was senior employees at the age of
contributed by engineering graduates. maximum of 50 in the Educational
According to MHRD, more than 15 lakh sector and offer seats to youngsters.
certified engineers are graduating in By doing so, the youth employment
India. Out of this, 1.75 is passed out from rate would increase, paving way for
552 engineering colleges and universities the coming generation to operate
in Tamil Nadu. After graduating, they are more in the respective field. It can
not hired by any organization. So, gradually reach all the sectors. Young
thousands of graduates and professionally minds can shape India better. Young
qualified youth are forced to take up the minds with experience from seniors
delivery boys job in companies like can help India shine in the future as a
Swiggy, Zomato, and as drivers at Uber, developed economy.
Ola, and many more. These firms hardly
pay Rs. 200 to Rs. 400 per day after
extracting 12 hrs from the workers.

55

Bibliography: 4. Nikhil Inamdar. (May 2020).
“Coronavirus lockdown: India
1. Bureau of Labour Statistics. jobless numbers cross 120
(2020).“Unemployment rate falls to million in April”. BBC News,
6.9 percent in October 2020”. Mumbai.

2. Anon. (August 2020). 5. Press Trust of India. (May
“Accenture to lay off 25,000
employees, thousands of Indians 2017).“ “Severe
set to lose jobs”. . The Economic
Times. underemployment and not

3. “Unemployment rate in unemployment is a more
India”.CMIE.
serious problem”-NITI

Aayog.” NDTV News.

6. Amitabh Kant. (February
2019). “India’s employment:
Understanding the True
Picture”. Business Standard.l

DID YOU KNOW?

The first May Day in India was celebrated in Chennai
in 1923 by The Labour Kisan Party Of Hindustan.

Singaravelu Chettiar raised the red flag in Chennai,
which was used for the first time in India. He

organised two meetings – one at the beach opposite
to The Madras High Court and the other at Triplicane

beach.

56

Source: Sukalyanc under license CC BY-SA 3.0

THE PLIGHT OF The country is getting ready to embrace Diwali ,
AN AGE OLD the annual Indian festival of lights and will soon
HANDICRAFT burst into celebrations , lighting lamps,
INDUSTRY exchanging sweets , the sky filled with bright
fireworks and the fragrance of joy. Though a
By Padmapriya.K Hindu festival , Diwali is celebrated across
communities in India and by the country’s wide –
I B.A.Economics ranging diaspora even during this great crisis but
we should also think about the seasonal workers
who have lost their employment and business
opportunity thus eroding their financial well being.
The unexpected COVID-19 crisis has brought all
our lives to a halt. The crisis is critical in relation to
the economy of the nation , as it has enormously
affected the small-scale industrial sectors
especially the pottery and diya making industry.

Pottery and diya making is one of 57
the age-old handicrafts in India.
Data suggests that around 40 In rural areas with very low
lakhs rural potters still work with income and simple needs , pottery
the help of prosaic pottery business plays an important role.
wheels, nearly 15 lakhs of them are Considering the fact that even if
traditionally skilled potters and these items are sold in bulk , an
about 95% are involved in the average potter would make up to
work of conventional local pottery. only 6000 to 9000 in a month, it is
Pottery is relatively a seasonal clearly not enough to sustain a
business that booms during the family of four or in some cases
festival seasons of Diwali , even more. These potters do not
Karthigai deepam, Maha shivratri , have access to large markets and
Dussehra , Pongal ,etc. are not aware of the trade
business . The major problems
Sundari is a resident of faced by the potters in the pottery
Thiruvanmiyur ,Chennai district . A industry is irregular supply of raw
potter by profession , she is busy materials and liquidity. Inadequacy
making diyas for the Diwali and of the net working capital is
Karthigai deepam in front of her another major problem of the
modest house. It is time for her to pottery industry. Because of
earn extra money from selling diyas shortage in the working capital ,
and small clay pots. She says, “The potters are not in a position to buy
average income of my family during raw materials of required quantity.
diwali season is about Rs. 8000 to Rs So the quality and quantity of raw
10000 and I can sell up to 10000 materials affect the quality and
diyas and 600 pots in my business size of the output.
otherwise it remains dormant for the
rest of the year but now due to this The funds available for the potters
crisis I wonder whether I can sell up for investment in fixed assets is
to 1000 diyas in this festive season.” low and many of them are aware
Though busy things are not blooming of the improved techniques of
for Sundari and other families production but do not apply them
depended on the pottery business, as they lack in liquidity. Lack of
she further stated that many people diversification of products also an
who are seasonal workers like her account for slow growth of the
have shifted to other professions to pottery industry. Especially during
make living and some have taken up the slack seasons, the potters are
additional jobs to supplement their forced to remain idle.
income during this crisis.

58

Marketing in this field has certain There are also foundations like
constraints because of the Earthy Goods Foundation with a
absence of co-operatives or mission to empower India’s
government agency as the potters invisible potters and rural micro
selling their finished products entrepreneurs . The Government
through middlemen has been one and non-governmental initiatives
of the supreme aspects and the can solve the problem by large
demand for the various products investments and develop the
of these industries is a largely industries at its best level .To retain
seasonal and it is limited to the this age-old heritage of India,
locality as majority of their potters have to input innovations
products are substandard and do regularly in their business.
not confirm to the required
specifications. Bibliography:

People must encourage pottery 1.S.V.Akilandeswari, Dr.C.Pitchai.
and diya making industries. NGOs
and nonprofits must create (July 2016). “Swot Analysis For
awareness for empowering the
potters and reviving handicrafts in The Improvement Of Pottery
India.To aid the livelihood of
potters, NGOs can sell their Industry In Tamil Nadu”.
products made by them at a
decent price fetching them International Journal in
reasonable profits. There are
associations like Asha , a fair trade Management and Social Science.
certified organisation that works
with more than 800 potters and 2.Maps of India. “Indian Pottery
artisans across India . Industry- A background”.

They aim to support the potters 3.Dr. Nuruzzaman Kasem. (July
and artisans by providing them a 2014). “Problems Of Pottery
sustainable market , and also to Industry And Policies For
preserve the artistic heritage of Development: Case Study Of
India. There is a programme called Koch Bihar District In West
Parton where they bring together Bengal, India.” International
corporate donors and NGOs Journal of Advanced Research
working to help artisans and in Management and Social
potters to form a structured CSR Sciences.
plan.
4.Ann Anju Mathew. (July 2020).
“These NGOs and nonprofits are
empowering artisans and
reviving handicrafts in India”.
Social Story.

59

LABOUR LAWS
AND THEIR

EFFECTIVENESS

By C.M.Sindhu

II B.A.Economics

Source: The Indian Express

In the month of September 2020, the Parliament passed 3 labour
Code Bills for the welfare and protection of the workers. They are
(i) Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code 2020
(ii) The Industrial Relations Code,2020
(iii) The Code on Social Security,2020.

In layman terms, the changes can be explained as follows: hiring and
firing are now made easier, striking against the employer is getting
tougher, fixed-term employment contracts and basic security net will
now cover even the sections of the unorganised workforce.
So, under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions
(OSH&WC), all the laws relating to Health and Working Ambience
are put under one law. It also aims to put the liability on the employer
and the contractor.

The law had made the PDS 60
benefits transferrable for migrant
workers. Under the Industrial Now, talking about the safety at
Relations, the law is trying to the workplace – the safety
redefine the terms ‘Employer’, committee says that the new law
‘Employee’ and ‘Worker’. Also, the can be exercised to those
law has come up with a new workplaces only where there are
definition for ‘strike’ that includes more than 250 employees. Also,
mass casual leave of up to 50% of the Employer will have to pay only
the workforce employed by any a meagre amount of Rs. 1,00,000
firm. Under Social Security, the in case of death due to the
new law – the entitlements like the workplace. The Categories of Self-
PF (Provident Fund), ESI Employed, Home-based workers
(Employees’ State Insurance), and the Gig-workers are yet to be
Maternity benefits, and others to covered under the Social Security
get simplified under a single law. mechanism.

Concerns: Lessons from our Indian states:
The Government claims that the States like Gujarat and Rajasthan
laws will provide statutory have already been following this
protection to unorganised workers. path several years now. The most
However, incredulity creeps in significant fallout is the increase in
various cases. For example, fixed- the number of contract workers,
term employment contracts will who account for about 43% of
snatch away all the protections Rajasthan’s organised workforce.
given to short-term assignment Also, in Gujarat, the Industrial
workers/employees. Disputes Act was diluted because
of which employers could dismiss
Best example under this sector the workers at their will without
would be the informal any bureaucratic approvals. This
construction sector that employs step was taken under the purview
a large number of unskilled that Gujarat can gain access to a
workers, who can use the labour great deal of private investment,
force at their will. A big move which actually turned the state
was taken by the Parliamentary into a major manufacturing hub.
standing committee to remove But apart from the legal changes,
the definition of a “wage worker” there were many fiscal incentives
as it excludes many of those at that were granted like cheap land,
the margins. tax holidays and many others.

It is still not clear as to which 61
measure actually helped Gujarat –
whether it was the dilution of However, just by changing the law
labour protection laws or was it and doing nothing else will neither
the investment brought in by the improve the economic activity nor
new investors. An important point advance the labour welfare. It is
to note here is that Gujarat important to ensure that the states
witnessed some serious agitation now focus more on building
among the workers followed by support institutions for skilling
strikes as the laws were diluted. It which will also take care of their
is true that India’s labour laws social security and basic incomes.
were very stringent and rigid and
this resulted in keeping the firm’s Bibliography:
size small.
1.Amir Ullah Khan. (September
2020). “Promise and pitfalls of new
labour deal”. Mint.

2.Anonymous. (September 2020).
“Parliament passes 3 Bills related
to Labour Law”. DD News.

DID YOU KNOW?

According to the Gender Gap Index in 2020, India has
slipped to the 112 th position from the previous 108 th in
2018. According to the report, it will take India close to

100 years to bridge the gap in areas of politics,
economy, health and education.

62

Source :abplive.com

THE DYNAMICS One of the key reasons for people to go for a
government job is because of the amount of stability and

AND security it provides. Working for the government sector
also provides a sense of satisfaction that they are

COMPLICATIONS working on the behalf of the citizens on the local, state
or national level. As much as comfort a government job
provides, it also has its own cons. Many government
INVOLVED IN employees have to deal with certain issues regarding the
GOVERNMENT politics, decision making process involved in the job, etc.
As a public sector employee, one’s employer is heavily
influenced by the politics of the government. For

JOBS example, if one is employed at a particular state agency
during which the highest executives and board members

By Archana A are appointed by the governor, the atmosphere and
even the agency’s organizational chart can change after

a replacement governor is elected. Such changes might

III B.A.Economics not affect their job negatively. But they still require a

transition and should affect their co-workers.

Because public sector employees 63
work for publicly funded
employers, there involves rigorous government sector is pre-defined
public scrutiny of the work and approved, hence no
produced. Any work produced, exceptional cases or changes are
from an annual report back to an accommodated, like during a
interoffice memo, are often private sector job.
reviewed at any time by either an
official or a citizen who files an Problems faced during the
open records request. If someone COVID-19 crisis:
calls and asks one for information, One such case was reported by
they would possibly be legally news18, on 6th May 2020, and the
required to share it. headline read: With No Transport
Facility, Compulsory Attendance':
Transfers are a feature of the Govt Employees Walk for Hours to
government sector too. Travelling reach the Workplace. “We are
to different parts of the country quite willing to urge back to our
and the world for work purposes is normal lives if there's some
also prevalent in government transport facility arranged by our
jobs.Several government jobs office to unravel our mobility
require their employees to travel to issues,” a government employee
different parts of the country or told The Logical Indian.
world, depending on their job role
and this could be difficult if one is Government offices across Delhi,
a working parent, since one will be Kolkata and other cities, including
constantly on the move either those of the transport, tourism and
together with your family or by excise departments and therefore
themselves. the sub-registrar, opened recently
after over 40 days amid the
When a government job is lockdown imposed to contain the
weighed against the same role spread of COVID-19. Talking about
but in the private sphere, it is a Delhi, a variety of employees did
clear fact that the salary not reach their offices due to
package one is offered would unavailability of conveyance.
be at a relatively lower scale, Neighbouring cities had also
thanks to the very fact that the sealed their borders with the
majority salary bands within the capital to contain the spread of the
virus.

Several government employees 64
couldn't attend their offices. Those
having their own vehicles attended After six months of closure India
office, but those that did not have has the second highest number of
vehicles faced difficulties in wake cases within the world with quite
of suspension of conveyance," 5.73 million positive cases. The
News18 quoted Batra as saying. government lifted lockdown
restrictions during a phased
It is the lockdown and the manner while the shutdown took a
unavailability of conveyance that toll on the country's economy.
has finally brought in light the
infrastructural loopholes, people The pandemic has wreaked havoc
have now begun questioning the on the work landscape in India.
government for urging employees According to the Centre for
to work from office, with full Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE)
knowledge of the barriers posed about 21 million salaries employees
by the pandemic led lockdown, lost their jobs during April-August.
which was reported in the initial There were 86 million salaried jobs
phase of the lockdown. in India during 2019-20.

Government employees According to the International
Labour Organization, it's
acknowledged that when the estimated that the pandemic
could reduce global working
lockdown is an initiative by the hours by nearly 7% in Q2 of
2020 - like 195 million full-time
government itself, asking jobs.”

employees to 'somehow' reach In India, from March-end, most
government sector companies
office isn't fair. Their appeal to the have resorted to either sack
employees asking them to travel on
government is to supply them with indefinite leave without pay or
slashed salaries by the maximum
the required facilities, because amount as 85%, stated a report by
Outlook India. As per the
expecting their attendance knowledge suggested by the
National Sample Survey (NSS) and
otherwise isn't rational. Transport Periodic Labour Force Surveys
(PLFS), it's estimated that overall
had been one main challenge 136 million government jobs are at
immediate risk in post-corona
faced by the government India.”

employees during the pandemic.

India is one among the foremost
affected countries from the
coronavirus pandemic. To battle
the global epidemic, the
government had to impose a strict
lockdown.

On the whole, due to the 65
pandemic, we can see how the
government employees are hit Bibliography:
massively. One such incident is 1.“The COVID-19 impact on
stating the compulsions that the government sector jobs amidst
employees have to do the job crisis - Is your job safe?”. (August
irrespective of the crisis. The irony 2020). Hindustan Times.
is that, the government brushing
aside or not giving priority to help 2.Sumanti Sen. (May 2020). “No
its own employees. The pandemic Transport Facility, Yet Mandatory
has hit every sector adversely and Attendance: Govt Employees Walk
is taking a toll on people's mind, For Hours To Reach Workplace”.
psychologically. The Logical Indian.

3.Priyanka Roshan. (September
2020). “COVID-19 impact on India |
Multiple sectors affected in six
months of lockdown”.
Moneycontrol.

DID YOU KNOW?

The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates
that worldwide approximately 218 million children

between 5 and 17 years are engaged in some form of
employment. Among them, 152 million are victims of
child labour; almost half of this figure – 73 million –
work in hazardous child labour conditions – working in
mines, with chemicals and pesticides in agriculture, or

with dangerous machinery.

66

BOOK REVIEW:
BOYS WITHOUT

NAMES,
KASHMIRA

SHETH

Reviewed by Kaveri. G

I B.A. Economics

Source: goodreads.com

Overview:
Book: Boys Without Names
Author: Kashmira Sheth

★★★★☆Genre: Young Adult, Realist Fiction

Rating: 4/5

Gopal’s father is a farmer who is now heavily debt-ridden due to
insufficient produce. To quote his Baba: “We stay, we starve.”
Gopal, being the eldest sibling of the family, is brought up in a
manner that makes him feel responsible to take care of his family
and ease the financial burden. From the very beginning, he thinks
of getting a side job alongside school to help out his father. They
struggle to reach his uncle’s place, his father getting lost in the
city in the process. Gopal is soon drugged by a young man he
meets on the street who promises him a good job at a factory.

He is taken to a dingy looking small 67
sweatshop where he is imprisoned
with five other boys and forced to The book takes some time to detail
work under poor living conditions. on these aspects and illuminates
How they develop interpersonal the socio-economic background of
relationships among themselves Gopal’s family.
despite the existing power
dynamics at play to escape from The author next shows the harsh
the place form the rest of the tale. living of children forced into child
The book is a short read that looks labour. In the sweatshop Gopal is
at the issue of child labour from the abducted to, kids as old as seven
first-person perspective. The author and eight are forced to make
keeps in mind the target age-group beaded frames for minimum 10
and manages to convey heavy hours continuously; this has a
issues like exploitation of labour and detrimental impact on their health
cruelty of children without being and wellbeing. The kids are shown
graphic; while the points sink and to be overworked and underfed;
are hard-hitting, it doesn’t take too statistics have shown that children
much of a toll on the emotional forced to work for long hours are
psyche of the reader. The book can more prone to diseases than their
be divided into two parts: reaching peers. This is shown when the kids
Mumbai and life in the sweatshop. often have aches all over their
The struggle to reach his uncle’s body and blisters and rashes on
place is described in vivid detail their skin. The kids are extremely
and captures the grim reality of malnourished as well, thus
every single person who emigrates increasing their chances of
to cities with the dream of a ‘better developing serious medical illness;
living’. one of the boys develop a high
fever that thankfully subsides
The existing dualism in the after the reluctant intervention of
society is reflected throughout the Boss.
the pages; this is shown when
the protagonist watches people Increased rate of child labour is
rush back to their cars to avoid harmful to the economy as well, as
the downpour while those living skilled labourers will be replaced
on the pavements and small by unskilled, young children only
shacks brave the storm and try benefits a small section of the
to save their few possessions. society (the one-percenters).

68

The children are ill-treated and not This story in fact paints a
even considered as human beings; comparatively rosy picture of the
one of the boys reveal to Gopal conditions and effects of child
during the course of a labour. As everybody details their
conversation that many- a- times respective stories that pushed
they were threatened to be ‘sold them here, we understand first-
off’ to other, more harmful arenas hand that the threat of the
of work like making fireworks. firework factory was no joke. From
Nearing the end, that seems to be having to work all day in a
the case as the ‘Boss’ is seen roadside tea stall to being forced
negotiating with someone on the into a gang of pick-pockets, the
phone, presumably to either shift boys felt comparatively safe in
their ‘business centre’ or sell the their present state, which was a
boys to another employer in need saddening fact to read.
for cheap labour. This shows the
running of a parallel economy in Oftentimes, kids and their parents are
full swing, where they have their fooled by the tempting picture of
own ‘demand’ and ‘supply’. stable wages in exchange for menial
work by these greedy employers.
This also prevents future supply of With no other choice, the kids go with
skilled labour to the economy; them to try and save their family from
studies have shown it takes a long abject poverty, only to realise they
time for the ones saved from were tricked. These ‘bosses’ pay little
forced labour to rehabilitate back to no wages to them and extract
to the society and even then, not double the work than the maximum
many make it. possible by the child. The story ends
on a happy, positive note, but the
reality is far from fiction.

Overall, this is a book that conveys a
deeply moving tale while throwing
light to the harsh reality of those
existing at the margin.

.

69

Source: feedough.com

LABOUR ISSUES The ‘Gig Economy’ is a modern term for short term
IN THE GIG work relationships. This form of employment also
ECONOMY called a platform economy, sharing economy, on-
demand economy or peer economy gained
By Harini Sivaram significance during the 2007-08 economic crisis. A
Gig Economy is a free market system where
II B.A. Economics organizations contract with independent workers for
a short term project or service engagement for
which the payment is made once the task is
completed. The main participants in the demand side
of the gig economy are online startups, small and
medium enterprises, solo entrepreneurs, even some
big corporations who regularly recruit gig workers
on short term assignments. The supply side is
dominated by individual workers or small agencies,
freelancers, freelance agencies and independent
consultants. Some examples of gig economy
platforms and applications include Upwork, Airbnb,
Uber, Lyft, Amazon Flex, Zomato, Swiggy, etc.

70

Though the gig economy offers Additionally, they face issues of
major benefits such as flexibility, payment protection after the
efficient use of time, freedom etc, successful delivery of the work.
it has an adverse impact on the Workers in a gig economy are not
industry working environment. The eligible for any social benefits such
basic challenges faced by the gig as insurance, medical benefits,
workers are unstable job, employees’ provident fund, bonus
uncertain pay schedules, unsteady or gratuity. They also do not have
workload, lack of social benefits any employment-related rights.
and/or any statutory protection,
no regulations, lower bargaining These issues have to be addressed
power, less scope to get skill up- by the employers, regulators and
gradation, lower credit access, legislators to develop the gig
lack of legal protection, economy and bring out its
discrimination, inequality, and maximum potential for the benefit
regional disparity. One of the key of the countries and the global
labour issues in the gig economy is economy.
the exploitation of the individual
workers as unlike traditional Carefully drafted laws that
employees, gig workers don’t have
the right to form unions and recognise the reality of platform
bargain collectively. Workers
classification as employees or work and guarantee to platform
independent contractors is also an
important issue as workers get workers both procedural rights and
benefits from being classified as
employees. There is a lack of laws substantial rights are the immediate
in addressing gender
discrepancies while getting gig solutions for these issues as the gig
work on online gig platforms.
economy continues to grow in
There is a lack of framework and
governmental support for creating importance. A proper worker
a conducive environment for
quality work/project, workers classification, separate labour laws
protection and access to benefits.
As there is no guarantee of a to reflect the changing nature of the
steady income, it is hard to
ascertain a person’s gig economy, employment rights and
creditworthiness.
benefits provisions for the gig

workers can solve the issues of the

gig economy labour and ensure

smooth working of the gig economy.

The other steps such as creating

international engagement,

empowering gig economy workers

and introducing tripartite systems

are essential. Labour Unions,

Managements and the government

could form a system to solve the

disputes of the gig economy.

71

Source:Fair Quid

Covid 19 has greatly affected the job They can be hired and fired at
market. Though it led to an increase will. The delivery workers are
in the job opportunities in the gig discriminated on the basis of their
economy, the issues faced by the working hours which they choose.
workers have also increased and Also, the workers who choose to
worsened in recent times. Online jobs work fewer hours are nudged to
in the field of marketing, designing, work inhumane hours. Their
IT, etc have increased as well as incentives are changed anytime
app-based delivery jobs such as Big and the workers have no say in it.
Basket, Zomato, Swiggy, Uber have
increased. But in certain cases such Hence, the gig economy has many
as the recent Swiggy’s move of labour issues that hinder its
changes in the incentive structure growth. Employers, regulators and
led to a strike by the delivery the government have to take a
partners in Chennai. The new wage thoughtful approach to manage
policy provides only Rs.15/order as these and other issues that might
against the earlier rate of come up in the future.
Rs.35/order which is way lower than
the bare minimum to make a living.

A survey carried out by two Bibliography:
oxford researchers rated Zomato 1.Roy, Gobinda & Shrivastava,
4/10 for its working conditions in Avinash. (2020). “Future of Gig
India. The delivery workers get Economy: Opportunities and
little employment benefits and no Challenges”. IMI Konnect.
fixed salary.

72

2.Terzo, Giuseppe & Giaconia, 5.“Gig Economy - Prospects and
Cinzia. (2018). “How the gig Challenges”.(2020).Ilearncana.
economy is shaping the labour
market and its effects on the 6.Amlan Mishra. (2019). “How Do
Welfare State”. EconWorld. Zomato, Other Apps Actually Treat
Their ‘Informal’ Workers?”.The Quint.
3.Professor Paul Oyer. (2017).
“Labour and Employment Issues in 7.Digbijay Mishra. (2019). “Gig economy
the Gig Economy”.Analysis Group weighs impact of social security for
workers”.The Economic Times.
4.Manishii Pathak and Srijita Jha.
(2019). “India and the Gig 8.“Gig Economy: Statistics, Why is it
Economy”. Induslaw. growing, Pros & Cons, Impact of Covid
19”. MBA Universe.

DID YOU KNOW?

In the late nineteenth century, the working class was
in constant struggle to gain the 8-hour work day.
Working conditions were severe. Death and injury
were commonplace at many work places, inspiring
books such Jack London’s The Iron Heel. Towards
1860’s, working people agitated to shorten the

workday without a cut in pay, but it wasn't until the
late 1880’s that organized labor was able to garner
enough strength to declare the 8-hour workday.

73

Source: feminisminindia.com

NOT DOMESTIC Majority of high income households, and upper
‘HELP’ BUT middle class families in India employ domestic
DOMESTIC workers. Domestic workers are those workers who
‘WORK’ are employed and paid to complete cleaning, and
other menial tasks in people’s homes. With the
By Amrita Vellayan income inequality gap growing each day, the
eternally existing task of bridging the gap
III B.A. Economics between the rich and the poor seems
unreachable. While domestic help is common in
India, awareness about their rights and the
pertinent laws are absent in the minds of many
employers. Since domestic workers are present in
both organized and unorganized sectors, the laws
covering them are more complex than drafting
and implementing other labour laws. Domestic
work is a major source of income for illiterate
people or those with very minimal education,
especially illiterate women.

As per official statistics the 74
number of domestic workers cross
4.5 million, with more than 3 million Another important factor for the
being women, but the real number exploitation apart from the lack of
is predicted to be multiple times laws is the power dynamics that
more, almost 20 to 80 million(ILO). exists between the employee and
The domain is considered to highly employer. There are neither proper
be a female one. Another job descriptions nor are there any
unfortunate factor is a large kind of written contracts. For these
number of domestic workers are reasons they are subjected to
minors. Though the numbers are underpayment, undefined hours,
large, many do not even receive harsh working conditions and
the minimum wages to be paid, more.
work long hours, have poor
working conditions and so on. They are regrettably attracted by
While the average income varies the salary, living conditions, perks
based on the work performed, offered by the employers and very
place, environment etc, as per often face exploitation. Many
findings in Delhi the average come from vulnerable or lower
income was Rs.1875. Domestic class communities and a large
work is still slow to be recognized majority even migrate from places
as ‘real’ work and there are not like Orissa, Jharkhand, and Bihar.
many concrete laws, regulations or
policies governing them. The main Another major problem in this
reason for the heavy exploitation is sector is the middlemen in the form
the inadequate laws in this of the placement agencies. They
informal sector. provide workers to employers
often not revealing all the facts to
Redressal and implementation the workers for their personal
mechanisms are lacking, and benefit. Making some remedial
this arises from the faulty long efforts, the Labour and Skills
existing thought process that Department has revised the wage
home cannot be a workplace. rate for household workers and set
The domestic workers are not it at Rs.37.50(2018) for every hour
even recognised as ‘workers’ of domestic chores such as
and not included as a part of cleaning, cooking etc. The wage
the productive growth of the rate varies for other kinds of work
country. such as baby-sitting and taking
care of the elderly.

Some states however, like Tamil 75
Nadu, Rajasthan, Karnataka have
fixed minimum wages for these Also, for the very first time,
workers. For instance, Rajasthan domestic workers have been
has set the minimum wage rate at recognized as workers in the
a sum of Rs.5642. This is a step in Unorganized Sector Social Security
the correct direction, but minimum Act, 2008. The Domestic Workers
wages are not enough to crop the Act was also introduced in 2008 to
growing exploitation. Several laws regulate payment, working
like the Domestic Workers’ Welfare conditions and have a check on
Bill, 2016, Domestic Workers trafficking. This Act is applicable
Welfare and Social Security Act, everywhere in India(except
2010 were never passed. The most Jammu and Kashmir). It does not
close-to-success approach has apply to domestic workers who
been that of trade unions and have immigrated from another
collective action, but this method country. According to the act, any
again is disadvantageous for the person between the age of 18 and
workers as most of the trade union 60 who is engaged in domestic
demands are unenforceable. work for at least 90 days in the
preceding 12 months can be
Remembering what the Universal categorised as a domestic worker.
Declaration of the Human rights
Act(Article 7) says- “All are equal At the international level,
before the law and are entitled domestic work is being
without any discrimination to equal recognised as actual productive
protection of the law”, domestic work. Many countries such as
workers undergo merciless Brazil, Honk Kong, Spain, Italy,
exploitation. Switzerland, Philippines, South
Africa have labour laws or
Keeping the above mentioned mechanisms to protect and
elements in mind and recognizing promote rights of the domestic
the importance of covering the workers.
domestic labour sector with laws,
the Ministry of Labour and All in all, India should work
Employment, Government of India, towards bringing in more
has acknowledged the importance structured, and functional labour
of domestic work to households laws for domestic workers and see
and the need to improve welfare to its implementation. While we
and regulatory measures for are moving in the right direction, it
promoting decent work for is merely an iota of the work to be
domestic workers. done. To drive out exploitation and
increase the welfare of the
domestic workers, India should

76

take a leaf out of the book that 4.ILO.(n.d). “About Domestic
countries like France, Italy, and Workers”.
Sweden read. After all, one should
remember it is not domestic ‘help’ 5.UN.(n.d). “Rights for Domestic
but domestic ‘work’! Workers”.

Bibliography: 6.WageIndicator. (2020).

1.Yashvi Ganeriwal (2018). “Domestic Paycheck.in. “Domestic Work in
Workers In India Have No Laws
Protecting Their Rights”. Feminism India”
In India.
7.Ministry for Foreign Affairs,
2.Martin OELZ. (n.d). “Labour law
coverage for domestic workers: Press, Information and
What, Why and How?”.
International Labour Organization. Communication Department.(2008).

3.EPW Engage. (2018). “Where are “So which is the most important?
the Laws to Protect the Rights of
Domestic Workers in India?”. Sixty years of the United Nations
Economic and Political Weekly.
Universal Declaration of Human

Rights”. Government Offices of

Swedes

DID YOU KNOW?

On an average of 1.5 million, young Indians
enter the job market every month. Some
estimates believe that the youth entering
the market each month is 1.5 million.

77

MGNREGA - A
PANACEA FOR

REVERSE
MIGRATION

By Shanmuga Priya B

III B.A.Economics

Source : papertyari.com

Covid-19 certainly has kindled in a renewed focus on healthcare
systems, sanitation, and most importantly, employment in the
rural areas of the country. The pandemic has thrown light on the
huge inadequacies and challenges of our healthcare structure
that the government and the citizens had not foreseen. Millions
of skilled and unskilled migrants moved across the country in
droves to their hometowns in the absence of income and work
and means to sustain their life. Around 30 million (3 Crore) or 15-
20% of the total urban workforce left for their hometowns,
accounting for the largest ever reverse migration trend in the
country, exclusive of intra-state migration. The World Bank in its
report mentioned that a whopping number of 40 million internal
migrants were harshly affected by the lockdown. Now that the
country is just a few steps from opening up in full, concerns
about workers moving back in search of work remain in the air.

The Mahatma Gandhi National 78
Rural Employment Guarantee Act
(MGNREGA), which has a mixed families under MGNREGA were
track record in sustaining the more self-reliant and less
livelihood of people in distress by dependent on government
providing guaranteed employment programmes for a livelihood,
and considerate wages might be according to the results of an
the only way out for the worst of evaluation conducted by the Tata
the worst-affected. But, will the Institute of Social Sciences (2017).
scheme be a viable and
sustainable employment option for The Ministry of Finance
the days and years to come? This announced Rs. 40,000 crore fund
article aims to analyse the allocation to MGNREGA on the
significance of MGNREGA as an onset of the fourth phase of
employment provider to the fleets lockdown in May, while under the
of reverse migrants in the country.
What is MGNREGA? Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, the
MGNREGA, the world’s largest government plans in creating jobs
guarantee work programme, is the for 300 Crore persons, and the
legitimised pioneer of the national average wages of
fundamental ‘Right to Work’. The workers also saw an increase from
scheme does that by providing a Rs. 182 per day per person to Rs.
time-bound guarantee of work for 202, with effect from April 1st,
100 days a year, with considerate 2020.
fixed wages. Workers under the
scheme are assigned to agriculture Unemployment and Work
and related capacity building Allocation Concerns
projects thus ensuring sustainable Unemployment has always been a
development for all, as advocated perennial problem for a developing
by Gandhi. country like India, especially in
times of crisis. The unemployment
The scheme has reasonable rate of the country reached an all-
success stories to its credit, all time high of close to 24% in April ,
across the country. A study by while the rate of unemployment is
Parida (2016) at Odisha proves that expected to reach 8-8.5% in 2020-
MGNREGA has played an 21, which may increase owing to
important role in the agricultural the reverse migration trends. The
off-season by providing work to reverse migration trends have
the needy, the poor, and the altered the demand-supply
socially marginalised communities. dynamics in rural India
In various villages in Sikkim, significantly. Areas that previously
had negative net migration rates

are now expected to experience 79
labour surplus, while the locations
that may need workers might lack Srivastava (2020) has estimated
supply. The trends in reverse the number at 5.9 crore short-
migration and its impact on local duration circular migrant workers
employment in states are visible, in the year 2017-18. In the same
with Uttarakhand topping the study, vulnerable long-term
charts in both the number of circular migrants have been
reverse migrants and the identified at 6.9 crores in the same
period.

Source: CMIE

unemployment rate at around Putting together numbers of
22.3% as of September. short-term and long-term
The state is followed by Tripura at vulnerable workers gives us a total
17.4% and Bihar at 11.9%. Thus a of about 13 Crore (130 million)
strong correlation can be inferred workers, who are deeply affected
between the amount of reverse by the Covid-19 crisis.
migration and the unemployment
rate in a given state. Another The wage rate in MGNREGA has
trend that is recognisable from been a huge concern for policy
literature is that migration is no makers across India. While the
longer a one-way street. recent increase in wages seemed
quite positive at the onset, the
Seasonal and circular migration wage hike is lesser than the
continues to grow and take various minimum wage rate in certain
forms (Connell et.al., 1976). Amongst states. Wage rates in the year
which, vulnerable circular migrants are 2019 seemed to be on the same
termed as the most distressed section trajectory, with the MGNREGA
of migrants, which include both Short- wage hike being lesser than the
term seasonal and long-term minimum wages in 33 states. Long
occupationally vulnerable workers. payment delays also with meager
wages add to the burden on

80

workers under the scheme. If states learn from their past
Another important loophole in the mistakes and amend the working
scheme is the availability of work system of the act, then surely it
for such a huge number of workers may do wonders in rural
seeking work under the scheme. In employment in the country.
most cases, work is inadequate for
such a huge number of workers. Bibliography:

1.John Connell, Biplab Dasgupta,

Conclusion Roy Laishley and Michael Lipton.

While MGNREGA fails in (1979). “Migration from Rural Areas

addressing a lot of important : The Evidence from Village

issues, COVID-19 certainly allows Studies”. New Zealand

it to fit the dynamic changes in Geographer.

employment and work conditions.

Making amendments to the act can 2.Srivastava, R. (2020).
“Understanding Circular Migration
be the only way out if the act in India: Its Nature and
Dimensions, the Crisis under
needs to be sustainable in the long Lockdown and the Response of the
State”. Institute for Human
term. MGNREGA gives a rights- Development.

based framework to migrants

seeking skilled and unskilled labour

opportunities but lacks in giving

enough benefits to the workers.

Work under the scheme should be 3.Vasudevan, G., Singh, S., Gupta,
G., & Jalajakshi, C. K. (2020).
allocated efficiently, as per the “MGNREGA in the Times of
COVID-19 and Beyond: Can India
project needs. While COVID-19 put do More with Less?”. The Indian
journal of labour economics: the
a halt to a lot of existing projects, quarterly journal of the Indian
Society of Labour Economics, 1–16.
a lot of new projects are on the Advance online publication.

anvil. While cash crunch and

plunging aggregate demand are

looming over the country’s

economy, MGNREGA can be used

as a tool to put money in the hands

of the needy. The propensity to 4.Parida, J. K. (2016). “MGNREGA,
distress migration and livelihood
consume of a rural worker is way conditions: a study in Odisha”.
Journal of Social and Economic
higher than that of an urban Development.

employee. Cash-based

transactions can be a game-

changer in this scenario. Instead

of reliance on Aadhar, the

unbanked should be remunerated

regularly by the means of cash.

81

Source: The Kathmandu Post

UNVEILING THE In today’s fast-developing economy, education is of
CAUSES BEHIND utmost importance for landing a prestigious job, and
as time goes on, we see an increase in the number of
educated youth in our country. But lo and behold,
there are challenges for creating jobs given this

HIGH large supply of labour emerging year after year. The
increasing population and excess importance to

UNEMPLOYMENT these jobs has also brought about a negative effect
on the economy in terms of high unemployment rate.

RATES The pressure from our parents about making
'proper' career choices can be quite overwhelming
By Mahisa.P especially when they have certain expectations. The
best way to tackle the problem is to identify micro
III B.A. Economics tasks that one is good at and look for a prospective
job that inculcates all those tasks. This helps in
identifying various skills and finding suitable jobs
instead of choosing a job that is hyped due to its
high salary.

82

It also allows us to learn new skills But this does not aid the existing
sets required for the job. At times, growing population and the
young graduates are confused increasing demand for jobs. Prime
regarding what career path to take. Minister Narendra Modi had
A solution is to look out for internship emphasised this in his recent
programs that can give an insight to a Independence Day speech saying,
particular field and then be able to “We need to worry about population
make your decision. explosion” in contrast to his previous
speech where he said that the
To improve one’s ability to get country’s population is an asset.
employed in a highly competitive Population explosion has increased
industry, they may need to have the number of students finishing
hands-on experience, various skills schools but has also increased the
and talent.But in 2017-18, as many as amount of substandard colleges.
33% of college graduates lack these
necessary skills leaving them jobless. According to the All India Council for
There is a wide spectrum of problems Technical Education (AICTE), as many
arising due to lack of skill education. as 200 colleges have applied for
The major cause being the rote closure and AICTE wants 800 more
learning-based education system colleges to close down. With the new
where theoretical knowledge is given National Education Policy, it has
importance rather than interactive created a flexibility for
learning, schools providing degrees undergraduate students to study
without focusing on imparting any abroad, an option to study for 3 or 4
necessary skills, lack of proper years (includes a year of research),
teaching staff, infrastructure and students who studied a 4 year UG
also population. course can opt for a 1-year masters
degree, M.Phil will be discontinued
With a large number of people and so much more changes.
specialising in a specific sector, any
dynamic changes in those sectors The NEP has made few significant
can affect them greatly for the best changes in its policy, but maybe it is
or the worst. Currently, the the school curriculum we should look
slowdown of the technology sector into. Most of the school syllabus is
has caused many to lose their jobs as over a decade old and hasn't been
companies plan to cut costs, improve revamped from time to time. On the
productivity and meet growth other hand, Germany is well ahead in
agendas as a result of losing their terms of skills.
customer base.

How so? There, the children all 83
study together till grade 4 after
which the student will go on for Bibliography:
higher education stream or 1.Chopra, Ritika. (November,
vocational stream based on their 2020). “Explained: Here Are the
performance. Vocational students Key Takeaways of India's National
then spend their time harnessing Education Policy”. The Indian
their skill and studying part-time Express.
and getting hands-on experience
at internships while at school, and 2.(December, 2019). “Education
educational students can further System in Germany - Overview of
study to be professionals in their the German School System”. Study
fields. This education system helps in Germany for Free.
students earn at a higher wage
cost per hour. 3.Anonymous. (June, 2018).
The steps that can be taken to “Engineering Jobs: 94% of
improve the skill education has Engineering Graduates Are Not Fit
been initiated by the government for Hiring, Says This IT Stalwart”.
through various programmes such The Economic Times.

as DIKSHA, Rashtriya Aavishkar 4. Jaffrelot, Christophe.
Abhiyan program, SWAYAM, (September, 2019). “The Problem of
Digital India, Skill India, etc. The Skilling India”. The Indian Express.
‘Skill India’ programme along with
‘Make in India’ proved to work 5.(July, 2020). “National Education
hand in hand in creating new jobs Policy 2020”. People's Archive of
with the help of foreign Rural India.
investments. Skill India aims at
training 300 million people by the 6. Shankar, Ajay. (February,
year of 2022 which had its 2020). “India Must Focus on Skill-
limitations. Based Education”. The Hindu
Business Line.
The education sector on the other
hand can play a significant role in 7. Moilanen, Samantha.
closing the unemployment gap by (November, 2018). “Does Parental
teaching pedagogies, integrating Pressure Play a Role in Career
technologically advanced skills and Choice?”. The Adams Kilt.
encouraging online learning.
8. Sharma, Manoj, and Follow.
“Why Indian Engineers Are Not
Getting Jobs?” LinkedIn. Accessed
November 23, 2020.

9. Sindwani, Prerna. (November, 84
2019). “Benching, Firing and Re-
Deploying - the Story of 20,000 10. Divya Jain. (September, 2019).
Employees at Tech Majors”. “Why 33% of Formally Trained
Business Insider. Youth Remained Unemployed in
2017-18 Alone: Need for Skill
Development”. India Today.

DID YOU KNOW?

According to International Labour Organization there
were 1.17 crores bonded labourers in 2014.The latest
available data from the National Crime Records Bureau
(NCRB) indicate that there were 8,132 reported cases of
human trafficking across India in 2016. The Low-income
states such as Jharkhand, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar
Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh are
more vulnerable to prevalence of bonded labour. A
large number of bonded labourers are also rescued

every year from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

85

Source:Melodie Descoubes

THE IMPACT OF Have you ever watched The Office? They clearly
highlight through comedy, the constant
objectification of women in workplace ecosystems.
#METOO These problems have prevailed in the real world for

a long time now. Almost half a decade has passed

MOVEMENT AND since the #METOO movement gained flight and
brought about a whirlwind of changes in the

CURRENT attitudes, behaviours of people along with
widespread awareness of the masses all over the

WORKPLACE world. However, some big questions remain
unanswered. What has changed? How can we

ECOSYSTEMS confirm that sexual harassment and gender-based
discrimination in the workplace has decreased?
What happened to the women and victims of other

By Purva Soni genders who spoke up against these organisations?

II B.A.Economics For this article, a comprehensive study conducted
by the Harvard Business Review in the United
States is chosen.

86

In the year of 2016, 250 women in Sexual harassment in the
the workforce were surveyed in the
U.S., and were questioned on the workplace is any unwelcome
pervasiveness & prevalence of
sexual harassment in their sexual advancement or behavior,
respective workplaces and also on
how it impacts them. The including sexual contact,
participants ranged in age from 25
to 45 and were working as full-time derogatory remarks, jokes or
employees in the US.
insinuations, showing or circulating
The officials also reconnected with
some of the women they previously offensive images, or phone calls,
interviewed to see whether they’ve
seen changes or have changed emails or texts that are offensive
their views. The overall sample for
the survey data consisted of 513 or threatening. Explicit sexual
women.
requests may also be involved. This
This survey was meant to gather
quantitative evidence about may occur between co-workers or
changes in the workplace
ecosystems since #MeToo. Sexual someone who has control over
harassment was measured along
the lines of gender harassment, continued jobs, promotion or a
unwanted sexual attention and
sexual coercion. The surveyors also successful job evaluation in a
measured participants’ self-esteem
and self-doubt, to see how these supervisory role and it had vastly
correlated with their experiences.
damaging physiological and
Descriptive statistics from the
findings showed that gender psychological effects and it also
harassment is the most
common type of sexual affects the productivity of the
harassment followed by
unwanted sexual attention employee on a micro level and in
and sexual coercion.
extreme cases it affects the

reputation, goodwill and the

profits of organisations on a macro

level.

Source: Comparably.com
Credit Frank Pompa, USA TODAY

87

Although the estimates of sexual HR departments are more alert
harassment range from study to and are looking to create a diverse
study, 87% of women in this sample workplace environment. However,
reported that they had the movement also backfired in
experienced at least one form of some organisations and led to the
sexual harassment. The findings creation of a more hostile work
from the 2016 interviews suggest environment for women in these
that even though most women organizations. The immediate
reported being sexually harassed, effect of the movement is that big
only a few of them ever reported it companies are becoming more
out of fear of negative aware and have started setting up
repercussions. internal panels and policies.

Organizational violations such as

workplace misconduct & Although this online movement has
not only encouraged the
harassment stem from methods of awareness around precautionary
and remedial measures but has led
human resource management that people to bring change, think
about the social concerns and
aim to reduce production costs and communicate about it.

meet inflated production goals.

Job well-being enhancements are On the flipside, to stay out of
often viewed as expenditures
rather than investments. However disputes, companies and
what organisations and HR
departments today need to realise organisations may even choose not
is that an inclusive and safe
workplace environment and to employ or employ fewer women
culture, will automatically boost
morale and will drive high levels of workers.
productivity and increased
operational results The women’s movement that has
emerged over the last two years
When asked about how the will hold a profound place in
#MeToo movement has brought history, particularly in relation to
about cultural changes; the women the sexual harassment of women.
spoke about how male allies have Yet, its impact has not been
played a monumental role in empirically examined, to date. This
ensuring that gender equity is study offers the first attempt to
maintained in the workplace. assess changes in the experience
of sexual harassment for women in
the workplace over the last two
years.

The chain reaction of the #MeToo 88
movement has begun in
workplaces, all over the world. But Bibliography
what matters more is how it is 1.Stefanie K. Johnson, Ksenia
being translated into the mindset Keplinger, Jessica F. Kirk, and Liza
of people and in rigid workplace Barnes. (July, 2019). “Has Sexual
compendiums and laws. An Harassment at Work Decreased
organization is made by its Since #MeToo?”. Harvard Business
employees. Ensuring inclusivity and Review
equity in the workplace for every
employee irrespective of their
gender, religion, sexuality is the
need of the hour in the current
context.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Global Slavery Index is a global study of modern
slavery conditions by countries, published by the Walk
Free Foundation. Modern Slavery includes individuals
being exploited for the purpose of sexual exploitation,
forced labour, forced marriage, domestic servitude, and
forced criminality.It estimates that on any given day in
2016 there were nearly 8 million people living in “modern
slavery” in India; India ranked 53 out of 167 countries.

89

Source: shutterstock.com

NEED FOR A “It is rightly said that our personality is sometimes
CONDUCIVE the average of people around us and our
WORKSPACE surroundings.’’ As we speak of personalities, words
ENVIRONMENT like character, responses, behaviour, actions come
AND CULTURE into mind and when we use them in a larger context,
a word like culture will always stay in the limelight.
By Ankita G So, as a social being, we are bound to interact with
a group of people eventually so that group can be
III B.A. Economics with anyone, either the family or friends or even
people they work with. When we take into
consideration the people we work with, the
workspace or the workforce culture plays a very
pivotal role in that because if we take in any aspect
or any consideration a culture will obviously define
what kind of person we will be, or it will define who
we are.
For example, just think of people of Tamil Nadu, we
obviously find them very simple, very cultural, and
very orthodox at times that is because a very simple

culture of way flows into their 90
system; similarly, we will find the
people of Delhi bit more flamboyant But on the other hand, if we see
than the other parts of the world people like Ratan Tata or even
because such a culture flows into some of the small players in the
them. In the majority of cases, market, they did not lay off their
people who work or employers are employees because they thought
merely treated as labourers or or because they felt that these
people who are paid for doing people were an inherent part of
certain work. They are not treated the organisation and they played a
as a part of the organization wholly very important role. This might be
or they are not even considered as a factor that we should start
a part of the organizational process. addressing and start giving
They are just merely people who emphasis to workspace culture
are paid to work for a specific because it is like any other
thing, or they are delegated to do a infrastructure, say as
specific job and that is where the technological infrastructure or
majority of the organisations take a physical infrastructure which is
hit. Now considering the difference very much required in a country
between successful organizations like ours where there is a high rate
and the organization which of labour exploitation. If we see a
struggles to survive, we will find successful organization like Google
that the major difference is in the or Microsoft or Reliance or Tata,
way they are operating their their culture allows them to explore
employees rather and find things and come up with
differences between how they innovative solutions. Some of the
approach their workspace or reasons why this workspace
work culture. They give imminent culture is so significant:
importance to their people or human
resources. Source- Moneycontrol

Going with the current COVID
situation, we could see a large
number of organizations
laying off their employees on
the grounds that they were
not able to sustain because of
such high employee costs.

(1) Workspace culture defines the 91
human resources of the
organization. Good culture creates Nobody speaks of the workforce
assets, bad cultures are sunk cost culture because what they feel is
meaning that good cultures will not getting a job is more important.
only help the employee perform The biggest change in the culture
well but also will it help him find his we can see is the pattern of work
own abilities and own talents even from home. Earlier it was devised
if he is having no technical skills. It that people should come to the
gives them a system to office sit for specific hours and
communicate freely among the work, but now that has been
workspaces. culturally shifted to, them working
from home virtually and they need
(2) A culture gives its workforce a not have a fixed time of working
brand identity of the organization. and they can work from anywhere.
A particular culture will define a So unless and until organizations
particular entity. People are very pay attention to care about the
much willing to work in Google workspace culture, it is imperative
because everyone knows that if that it will be very difficult for it to
you get into Google, there are succeed just on the grounds of its
certain perks or bonuses, which operation because at the end of
the company is going to give. This the day it is not about what they
way, it creates an internal sell, it is not going to be about to
branding of the whole organization whom they are selling, it is not
and bad cultures can destroy the going to be about what they do, it
same reputation because the is at the end the result of an
feedback system will obviously not organization is going to be. In the
be so good in those cultures. end, it all depends upon how they
can drive work culture. If their
(3) Workspace culture will help work culture is very healthy, all
them know whether these other things will fall in place
employees are an asset, or they because they already have people
are a liability. So, their culture will who can give commitment and
play a very pivotal role in how dedication to their organization.
their organization performs.
Bibliography:
In a country like India workspace 1.Anonymous. (August, 2020).
culture as such is very “Establishing a positive workplace
underemphasized. culture: definition, tips & why it's
important”.RMIT

92

Source:Imran Sohail

INFORMAL Paramount's part of the workforce in the
WORKERS - THE developing countries, especially in India are from
the unorganized sector. The informal labour market
VICTIMS OF is an integral part of the Indian economy. Even
HORNETS' NEST though the unorganized workers are entitled to laws
and protection (Unorganized Workers' Social
Security Act,2008 ) they are deprived from minimum
standards of living and are prone to lower social
security and welfare. In the Indian scenario, the
unorganised workers are categorized in terms of
occupation, nature of employment, service
categories and specially distressed categories.

By Nishevitha.S.K Agricultural labourers: Agriculture plays a
II BA Economics significant role in providing employment
opportunities for 57% of Indian workforce.
Agriculture not only contributes to the overall
growth of the economy , it also eradicates poverty
and enhances food security.

But almost all labours are 93
vulnerable to a wide range of issues
like seasonal employment ( on an Source: Labour Force Surveys, BBS
average, a farm labourer has been
employed for 197 days in a year and The incomes of the vendors are
remain unemployed for the rest of quite low because most of the
the year),lower wages ( low wages vendors have borrowed from
generate a vicious cycle of moneylenders who charge high
poverty),huge number of family rates of interest and the working
members, social status and conditions of the vendors are also
tough.
unemployment due to technology
(As a result of modernization and Waste pickers and recyclers:
technological transformation only Waste pickers are those people
the rich farmers are benefiting but who go through the garbage bins
large section of the rural population to pick out the things we discard
is unemployed). as waste. They contribute
Home-based workers: “Home- immensely to waste management
based workers” refers to the as they scavenge the recyclable
general category of workers, within matter, thereby, saving the
the informal economy who carry municipality cost and time of
out remunerative work within their collecting and transporting this to
homes. They are inclined to various the dumps. A waster picker's
hindrances like lack of protection health is affected by various
by labour laws (no policy or law for factors like eating habits, personal
home workers exist in India ) , poor hygiene, living conditions etc.
remunerative policies ( home-based Children often engage in waste
workers are paid on a piece-rate, picking, to contribute to the family
not on a time-basis and the wages income or to survive on their own.
are extremely low) and lack of
bargaining power and social
protection.

Street and market vendors :
Street vendors are those with
lower skills, who have migrated
from rural areas or small towns to
larger cities in search of jobs .
Street vendors are usually hassled
with the fear of harassment by
authorities and bribes.