1. STRESS
OF
CHILD LABOR
DR.
SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR

2. Any sensitive and sensible individual would not like a
child to undergo the coercion of daily labor for survival.
Apparently; this conscientious feeling has been
transformed into international consensus against child
labor.
Sadly though, it is being defeated repeatedly, thereby
producing enormous STRESS; amongst the children
forced into labor; as well as most of us who are witnesses!
This STRESS is often not perceived and not identified
clearly and sensed only as a vague and inexplicable
agitation and sickening agony in the heart!
The failure of the international consensus and
conscience; is due to the naive or deliberate lack of
dealing with the root of child labor; and merely
continuing with the philanthropic activities; and/or
attempts towards arbitrary imposition of laws to ban
child labor.
The root cause of child labor and consequent stress is the
educational policy that is bereft of productive domain.
The students of science and arts (and professional
colleges) in the mainstream education (probably in most
countries in the world); are cut off from skills and ethics

3. involved in production and marketing and sales in real
life in the world!
This education is unnecessarily and highly dependent on
high tech gadgets and books, calculators, computers and
other teaching and learning aids and revolves around the
elitist life (demands); neglecting the life (needs) of vast
majority, naively or deliberately. This education policy is
probably revolving around the vested interests of the
manufacturers and dealers of the so called educational
(earning and teaching) aids and material. In short it
revolves around the needs and interests of few and being
parasitic in nature; at the cost of vast majority.
In such highly alienated and expensive unproductive
education system; majority of the children become
suffocated child drop outs and the vulnerable and easily
available helpless child labor. Those, who continue in the
education and get graduated; are unable to get self-
employed and either become frustrated and suicidal
mental wrecks; or frustrated but arrogant criminals.
Child labor and the subsequent STRESS; can be
conquered; if the education nurtures on priority basis;
the spiritual domain (self empowerment through self

4. knowledge, self realization (through NAMASMARAN)
and productive domain; besides cognitive, psychomotor
and affective domains.
This can be done if we internalize introduce this is
“YOGA” i.e. i.e. reunification of; reintegration of, or re-
amalgamation of; or re-synthesis of spiritualism and
materialism; and individually and globally benevolent
perspectives, policies, plans and programs; in education!