Education, skills, and working environments of workers in India's rural industry

Based on a mix of official data and results of a survey conducted in May-June 2000 as part of an ongoing Swedish-Indian-Chinese collaborative study, this paper describes the working conditions of workers engaged in rural industry in India. First, it reports the education and skills of such workers. Educational attainment is presented in terms of both general and technical education. The role played by public institutions in the development of skills is examined. A view of the environment in which these workers work, on the one hand, and the physical/economic conditions of work, on the other, is then developed. Locational and gender disparities are illustrated by rural-urban and male-female comparisons to the extent that the available data permit. Child labor is briefly discussed. The findings are disturbing. The authors offer suggestions for improvement.