According to Article 24 of the Indian Constitution, what is the minimum age for employment in factories or mines or other hazardous employment?
- A.18 years
- B.16 years
- C.12 years
- D.14 years
Show answer
Correct answer: D. 14 years
Explanation
The correct answer is D, 14 years. Article 24 says that no child below the age of 14 years shall be employed to work in any factory or mine or in any other hazardous employment. It is part of the Right against Exploitation (Articles 23 and 24) among the Fundamental Rights in Part III. Article 23 bans trafficking in human beings and forced labour (begar). Article 24 goes with Article 21A, added by the 86th Amendment in 2002, which gives free and compulsory education to children aged 6 to 14. The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 bans employing children below 14 in any work and adolescents aged 14 to 18 in hazardous work. A is wrong because 18 is the voting age and the age of adulthood, not the limit in Article 24. B is wrong because the Constitution does not use 16 as the limit. C is wrong because 12 is lower than the age fixed by Article 24. Exam tip: Article 23 = no trafficking or forced labour; Article 24 = no child below 14 in factories, mines or hazardous work; Article 21A = education for ages 6 to 14.