In the small-scale workplaces where most Indians work, which of the following determines many aspects of work, such as a raise or the loss of a job?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Personal relationships with the employer
Option (1) Government laws for monitoring working conditions — Incorrect. Laws to monitor working conditions do exist for the unorganised sector. In practice, though, workers are left to the whims and fancies of the employer, so these laws do not decide a raise or a job loss.
Option (2) Personal relationships with the employer — Correct. Most Indians still work in small-scale workplaces, where personal relationships decide many aspects of work. If the employer likes a worker, a raise may follow, and a fight with the employer may cost the job.
Option (3) Well-defined rules with redressal mechanisms — Incorrect. Well-defined rules with mechanisms for complaints and redressal belong to a large organisation. Only a few Indians work in such places, so this does not describe the usual small workplace.
Option (4) Collective agreements made through trade unions — Incorrect. Union membership is a feature of the organised sector. Very few Indians are union members, so most workers never get pay or job security through collective agreements.
NCERT (2026-27): “The Specificity of Indian Industrialisation … |