Measuring Deprivation Due to Child Work and Child Labour: A Study for Indian Children

The present exercise is an attempt to study the pattern of child work and child labour in India. We classify child activity depending on age, extent of work and the nature of industries they are occupied in. We formulate a deprivation index for each category of work and make some comments on the magnitude of the usual incidence measures and the deprivation adjusted measures put out by us. In this context, we consider structured light work as skill improving and hence beneficial for the children. Lastly, we study the possible determinants of such deprivation among education, income and social status related variables. We use unit level data on employment and unemployment situation in India of National Sample Survey Organization for 61st round (2004–2005).