Those activities which contribute to the gross national product are called economic activities. All those who are engaged in economic activities, in whatever capacity — high or low, are workers. Even if some of them temporarily abstain from work due to illness, injury or other physical disability, bad weather, festivals, social or religious functions, they are also workers. Workers also include all those who help the main workers in these activities. We generally think of only those who are paid by an employer for their work as workers. This is not so. Those who are self-employed are also workers. The nature of employment in India is multifaceted. Some get employment throughout the year; some others get employed for only a few months in a year. Many workers do not get fair wages for their work. While estimating the number of workers, all those who are engaged in economic activities are included as employed. Since majority of our people reside in rural areas, the proportion of workforce residing there is higher.
A loading worker in a wholesale vegetable shop is engaged only on days when there is work, and is paid wages for each day of work. By status, such a worker is a ________.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → casual wage labourer
The loading worker is engaged only on days when there is work and is paid for each day. A person engaged casually in others’ enterprises and paid under a daily or periodic work contract is a casual wage labourer.
A regular salaried employee is paid on a regular basis, not by such a daily contract. A self-employed worker runs his own enterprise; a family worker works unpaid in a family business.
NCERT (2026-27): Glossary: “Casual Wage Labourer – A person who is casually engaged in others’ farm or non-farm enterprises and, in return, receives wages according to the terms of the daily or periodic work contract.” Glossary: “Regular Salaried/Wage Employee – Persons who work in others’ farm or non-farm enterprises and, in return, receive salary or wages on a regular basis (i.e. not on the basis of daily or periodic renewal of work contract). They include not only persons getting time wage but also persons receiving piece wage or salary and paid apprentices, both full time and part-time.” |