SociologySocial Change and Development in India: Change and Development in industrial Society

Which of the following has made even the small number of people in re…

Which of the following has made even the small number of people in regular salaried employment in India more insecure?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 4

The correct answer is Option (4) → The rise in contract labour

Option (1) The growth of the service sector — Incorrect. The service sector, such as shops, banks, IT and hotels, is employing more people. Its growth adds jobs to the economy.

Option (2) The policy of land acquisition for industry — Incorrect. Land acquisition for industry displaces farmers and adivasis from their land. It affects people living around new industries, who face low compensation and casual work.

Option (3) The spread of foreign products in Indian shops — Incorrect. Foreign products in Indian shops are a result of liberalisation. They change what people buy in the market.

Option (4) The rise in contract labour — Correct. Contract labour means workers hired on contract for a fixed task or period. As firms hire more contract workers, even the few people with regular salaried jobs feel less secure.

NCERT (2026-27): “Globalisation, Liberalisation and Changes in Indian Industry …
To summarise, India is still largely an agricultural country. The service sector – shops, banks, the IT industry, hotels and other services are employing more people and the urban middle class is growing, along with urban middle class values like those we see in television serials and films. But we also see that very few people in India have access to secure jobs, with even the small number in regular salaried employment becoming more insecure due to the rise in contract labour. So far, employment by the government was a major avenue for increasing the well-being of the population, but now even that is coming down. Some economists debate this, but liberalisation and privatisation worldwide appear to be associated with rising income inequality. …”