Question 24
1. The Factories Act, 1881 was passed with a view to fix the wages of industrial workers and to allow the workers to form trade unions.
2. N.M. Lokhande was a pioneer in organizing the labour movement in British India.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
AOptions
BSolution
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Factories Act, 1881, was the first significant legislation concerning factory labour in British India. Its primary purpose was to regulate the working conditions of child labour (specifically, prohibiting employment of children below 7 years, limiting working hours for children aged 7-12, and providing for their holidays). It did not aim to fix wages of industrial workers or to explicitly allow the formation of trade unions; the concept of organized labour movements and union rights was still nascent and largely unaddressed by law at that time.
Statement 2 is correct: Narayan Meghaji Lokhande (N.M. Lokhande) is widely regarded as a pioneer and one of the earliest leaders of the organized labour movement in British India. He founded the Bombay Mill Hands' Association in 1890, which is often considered the first organized labour association in India, and campaigned for improved working conditions for textile mill workers.
Therefore, only statement 2 is correct.
CStrategy
For questions on historical acts and figures, know their specific contributions, the core provisions of the legislation, and the historical context. Avoid attributing modern objectives or advanced rights to early colonial-era laws, which often had limited scope.
DSyllabus Analysis
Modern Indian History - Labour Movements, British Policies in India.
EQuestion Analysis
Medium. Requires specific factual knowledge about early labour legislation and key figures in the Indian labour movement.