Question map
International Labour Organization's Conventions 138 and 182 are related to
Explanation
The correct answer is option A because the ILO Minimum Age for Admission to Employment Convention (No. 138) and the universally ratified ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (No. 182) set legal boundaries for child labour[1]. One of the most effective methods of ensuring that children do not start working too young is to set the age at which children can legally be employed or otherwise work, and the aim of ILO Convention No.138 on the minimum age is the effective abolition of[2] child labour. ILO Convention No. 138 on the minimum age for admission to employment and ILO Convention No. 182 on the worst forms of child labour[3] together form the core international legal framework to protect children from exploitation at work. These conventions are not related to agricultural practices, food security, or gender parity at the workplace, making options B, C, and D incorrect.
Sources- [1] https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/2025-06/2024%20Global%20Estimates%20of%20Child%20Labour%20Report.pdf
- [2] https://www.ilo.org/international-programme-elimination-child-labour-ipec/what-child-labour/ilo-conventions-child-labour
- [3] https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/2025-05/World_Day_2012_Policy_Note_EN_Web.pdf
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full viewThis was a 'Current Affairs disguised as Static' question. India ratified both C138 and C182 in June 2017, a major policy milestone widely covered in newspapers before the 2018 exam. It tests your awareness of specific treaty numbers linked to recent Cabinet decisions.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Do International Labour Organization Conventions No. 138 and No. 182 pertain to child labour?
- Statement 2: Do International Labour Organization Conventions No. 138 and No. 182 pertain to adaptation of agricultural practices to global climate change?
- Statement 3: Do International Labour Organization Conventions No. 138 and No. 182 pertain to regulation of food prices and food security?
- Statement 4: Do International Labour Organization Conventions No. 138 and No. 182 pertain to gender parity at the workplace?
- Explicitly names Convention No. 138 and Convention No. 182 together as legal standards related to child labour.
- States these conventions 'set legal boundaries for child labour', directly tying both conventions to the topic.
- Lists ILO Conventions Nos. 138 and 182 in the context of 'protections for children at the workplace'.
- Includes dedicated sections for 'Convention No. 138 on the minimum age for admission to employment' and 'Convention No. 182 on the worst forms of child labour'.
- Labels C.138 and C.182 as international labour standards under the heading 'CHILD LABOUR'.
- Identifies Convention No. 138 as the 'Minimum Age Convention' concerning admission to employment, linking it to child labour issues.
This snippet is from a chapter titled 'International Organisation and Conventions', indicating that international conventions (the genre to which ILO Conventions belong) are discussed in this material.
A student could combine this with the basic fact that the ILO is the UN agency for labour issues to check whether specific numbered ILO conventions address child labour.
Explains that national child-rights bodies adopt rights from international conventions (here the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child), showing a pattern that international instruments define child-rights standards adopted nationally.
A student could reasonably infer that international labour conventions might similarly set standards on child labour and then look up ILO convention topics to test the statement.
Lists many national labour laws specifically addressing child employment and hazardous work, illustrating that labour law (the ILO’s domain) commonly covers child labour as a subject area.
Given that child labour is a recognized labour-law topic, a student could reasonably suspect and then verify whether ILO conventions (which cover labour issues) include numbered conventions on child labour.
Describes Article 24’s absolute prohibition on child employment in hazardous jobs and references judicial enforcement and related legislation, showing the legal framing of child labour as a labour-rights issue.
Using the general link between labour rights and international labour standards, a student could check ILO convention subjects/numbers to see if specific conventions address child labour.
Provides data that child labour is a significant problem, and notes reductions due to tougher laws and interventions, implying international/national rule-making is used to address it.
A student could combine this empirical importance with the knowledge that the ILO produces labour conventions to hypothesize that prominent ILO conventions (like numbered ones) may target child labour and then verify the specific numbers.
- Explicitly identifies Convention No. 138 as concerning admission of age to employment and Convention No. 182 as concerning the worst forms of child labour.
- Shows the conventions' subject matter is child labour/minimum age, not agricultural adaptation or climate change.
- Lists ILO Convention No. 138 on the minimum age for admission to employment and ILO Convention No. 182 on the worst forms of child labour as the background to protections for children at the workplace.
- Frames both conventions clearly within child labour and workplace protection topics, not climate or agricultural practice adaptation.
- Refers to child-labour hazards and provides direct links titled 'ILO Convention No. 138 at a glance' and 'ILO Convention No. 182 at a glance', indicating these conventions address child labour/hazardous work.
- No indication in this passage that the conventions address adaptation of agricultural practices to climate change.
Koronivia Work on Agriculture is an international decision under UNFCCC that explicitly links agriculture to adaptation and mitigation of climate change.
A student could use this to infer that major UN/ILO-era international instruments sometimes address agriculture adaptation and therefore check whether ILO conventions similarly cover agricultural adaptation issues.
The snippet defines 'Climate Smart Agriculture' and states agriculture is both vulnerable to and can help mitigate/adapt to climate change (a recognized policy domain).
One could extend this to expect that international labour/standards instruments interacting with agriculture might touch on climate-related adaptation measures for agricultural work practices.
The Special Climate Change Fund finances projects in agriculture specifically for adaptation, showing states and multilateral funds treat agriculture adaptation as a discrete policy area.
A student could use this pattern to look for whether labour conventions or other labour instruments reference or align with such funded adaptation activities in agriculture.
IFAD runs a program explicitly to scale up climate change adaptation in smallholder agriculture, indicating international development agencies focus on adapting agricultural practices.
This suggests checking whether labour standards or ILO instruments make provisions for workers in smallholder agriculture in the context of adaptation.
Examples of climate-smart agriculture practices (e.g., improved seed varieties adapted to climate change) illustrate concrete kinds of agricultural adaptation measures.
A student could use these concrete measures to assess whether ILO conventions concerning minimum age or worst forms of child labour (Nos. 138, 182) include or exclude clauses about such technical agricultural adaptation practices.
- Explicitly identifies Convention No. 138 as the ILO Minimum Age Convention focused on preventing children from starting work too young.
- Shows the convention's aim is setting the legal minimum age for employment and abolishing child labour — topics unrelated to food prices or food security.
- Describes the background to protections for children at the workplace and explicitly links Conventions Nos. 138 and 182 to those child-protection measures.
- Indicates the conventions concern workplace/child labour issues rather than economic matters like food pricing or food security.
- Explains that ratifying Conventions No. 138 and No. 182 commits countries to defining hazardous work for children — a child labour protection measure.
- Focus on hazardous work and harms to children demonstrates subject matter is child labour/health and safety, not food prices or food security.
Describes the main governmental functions in food management — procurement at remunerative prices, distribution under NFSA, and maintaining buffer stocks to ensure food security and price stability.
A student could use this pattern to ask which international or national instruments typically address these functions (procurement, distribution, buffer stocks) and then check whether ILO conventions fit that subject-matter.
Explains the Food Corporation of India’s explicit objectives: price support for farmers, distribution through PDS, and maintaining stocks to ensure national food security.
One could compare the institutional remit (FCI/food policy bodies) that handles food-price/support measures with the known scope of other international organizations to judge if ILO conventions would normally cover such tasks.
Identifies Codex Alimentarius as the international food standards body created by FAO and WHO to protect consumers and ensure fair food trade practices.
A student could infer that technical food standards and trade-related food rules are usually developed by FAO/WHO/Codex rather than bodies with other mandates, and then check whether ILO is a typical author of such standards.
Notes the FAO Food Price Index as the UN body’s monitoring tool for international food commodity prices — connecting FAO to food-price surveillance.
Use this to reason that international monitoring and regulation of food prices are tasks associated with FAO; a student could then see whether ILO conventions are linked to such monitoring roles.
Describes the WTO SPS Agreement as setting basic rules for food safety and animal/plant health standards and allowing countries to set science-based standards.
A student could treat this as an example that trade/health-related food regulation is typically handled by WTO/FAO-type agreements, and thus test whether ILO conventions (if they exist on another theme) would be expected to address food-price/security issues.
- Explicitly identifies Convention No. 138 as the 'Minimum Age Convention' concerning when children may be employed.
- Shows the convention's aim is abolition of child labour by setting legal minimum ages — a child-labour focus rather than a gender-parity topic.
- Lists ILO Convention No. 138 and No. 182 as key resources on the ILO 'what-child-labour' page.
- Places both conventions explicitly in the child-labour context (hazardous work, exposures, long hours), not in a gender-parity context.
- States that ratifying Conventions No. 138 and No. 182 commits countries to define hazardous work lists for children.
- Emphasizes these instruments address hazardous child labour and its elimination, indicating their subject is child labour rather than workplace gender parity.
This snippet signals that there exist international organisations and conventions as a category, implying ILO conventions are a type of international treaty that address labour issues.
A student could look up the ILO’s catalogue of conventions (by number/title) to see each convention’s subject and judge whether Nos. 138 and 182 address gender parity.
The Gender Inequality Index explicitly lists labour market participation as a core dimension of gender disparity, linking labour-related instruments to gender outcomes.
A student could infer that conventions affecting labour participation or protection might influence gender parity and therefore check whether Conventions 138/182 regulate age/participation rather than gender.
This snippet lists workplace rights and protections (fair treatment, preventing discrimination) as standard labour concerns, showing that some labour instruments explicitly target discrimination and gender-related workplace issues.
A student could compare the topics covered by Conventions 138/182 to the kinds of workplace rights listed here to see if they match anti‑discrimination/gender parity aims.
Discussion of feminism and the ‘double burden’ links gender equality to participation in public (work) domains, implying that instruments on labour can be relevant to gender equality questions.
A student could use this conceptual link to ask whether specific ILO conventions explicitly target barriers to women’s labour participation (as opposed to other labour topics covered by numbered conventions).
This snippet notes that some labour-related differences (e.g., night work safety) require special protections to achieve equality, illustrating that some labour rules are gender‑sensitive while others are not.
A student could check whether Conventions 138/182 are framed as general labour‑protection rules or as provisions addressing gender‑sensitive measures to infer relevance to gender parity.
- [THE VERDICT]: Sitter for current affairs trackers; Bouncer for static-only readers. Source: The Hindu (June 2017) or any standard yearly compilation covering India's ratification.
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: 'India's Ratification of International Treaties'. Whenever the Union Cabinet approves a UN/ILO convention, the Convention Number and Title become mandatory memorization.
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the 8 (now 10) Fundamental ILO Conventions. Forced Labour (C29, C105); Discrimination (C100, C111); Freedom of Association (C87, C98 - India has NOT ratified these); Child Labour (C138, C182); Safety (C155, C187).
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Do not memorize all 190+ conventions. Filter by: 1) Fundamental Conventions, 2) Conventions India recently ratified, and 3) Conventions India famously refuses to ratify (e.g., C87/C98).
Multiple references cite Article 24's absolute prohibition on employing children (below 14) in factories, mines and hazardous work, directly addressing the domestic constitutional stance on child labour.
High-yield for UPSC because questions often link Fundamental Rights to social policy and labour law; knowing Article 24 helps answer questions on legal protections for children, judicial interpretations, and links to legislative measures. It connects constitutional law, social justice, and labour policy topics.
- Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 8: FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL DUTIES > INTRODUCTION TO THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA > p. 138
- Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 8: Fundamental Rights > Fli Prohibition of Employment of Children in Factories, etc. > p. 93
- Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 2: RIGHTS IN THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION > RIGHT AGAINST EXPLOITATION > p. 38
References reference the 1986 Act and its 2016 amendment (renaming to Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act), showing the primary domestic statutory framework on child labour.
Essential for UPSC preparation on legislative reforms and policy: questions ask about statutes, amendments, age definitions and scope of prohibitions. Understanding this Act aids comparative analysis with other labour laws and policymaking discussions.
- Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 8: Fundamental Rights > Fli Prohibition of Employment of Children in Factories, etc. > p. 94
- Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 8: Fundamental Rights > Fli Prohibition of Employment of Children in Factories, etc. > p. 93
A reference notes India's ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the definition of 'child' under that treaty, highlighting international frameworks relevant to child welfare and labour.
Useful for UPSC as it frames how international treaties influence domestic policy and rights discourse; helps in answering questions on international obligations, comparisons between treaties (e.g., UNCRC vs ILO instruments), and policy compliance.
- Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 60: National Commission for Protection of Child Rights > ESTABLISHMENT > p. 484
KjWA is explicitly about agriculture within the UNFCCC framework and links agricultural development to adaptation and mitigation.
High-yield for UPSC: KjWA is a central negotiated outcome linking agriculture and climate policy, useful for questions on climate governance, adaptation policy, and sectoral approaches. Connects to UNFCCC processes, COP decisions, and national adaptation strategies; learn by mapping COP outcomes to sectoral measures.
- Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 24: Climate Change Organizations > Key outcomes agreed at the UN climate talks in Bonn > p. 333
CSA is presented as the agricultural practice framework that both adapts to climate change and mitigates emissions.
Important for essays and policy questions: CSA illustrates practical measures (conservation agriculture, improved seeds, diversification) that link agriculture, food security, and climate resilience. Prepare by noting examples, benefits, and policy instruments; connects to sustainable agriculture, rural development, and technology transfer themes.
- Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 24: Climate Change Organizations > 4.IL.CLI MAT E. SMART AGRICU LTU RE > p. 339
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 9: Agriculture > Some best CSA practices include: > p. 353
References identify funds and agencies (SCCF, GEF, IFAD) that finance adaptation projects in agriculture and smallholder support.
Crucial for questions on implementation and financing of adaptation: understanding which funds and institutions support agricultural adaptation helps answer governance and policy implementation questions. Study funding channels, eligible activities, and institutional roles to link international frameworks to national programs.
- Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 24: Climate Change Organizations > r, Special Climate Change Fund (SccO > p. 336
- Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 24: Climate Change Organizations > Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Program > p. 347
The statement concerns 'food security'; several references define and break down food security into availability, access, affordability and quality.
High-yield for UPSC: core concept for questions on nutrition, NFSA, public policy and international commitments. Connects to agriculture, welfare schemes, and human development indices; useful for both static and contemporary policy questions. Learn definitions, components, and examples from NFSA and FAO.
- Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 17: Contemporary Issues > Food Security > p. 50
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 9: Agriculture > Food Security > p. 334
- Economics, Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: Food Security in India > What is food security? > p. 42
Since C138/C182 are asked, the next logical target is the 'Unratified Duo': India has NOT ratified C87 (Freedom of Association) and C98 (Right to Organize) because they conflict with conduct rules for government employees.
Institutional Mandate Match: ILO deals with 'Rights of Workers'. Option B (Agri-climate) is FAO/UNFCCC domain. Option C (Food Prices) is FAO/WTO domain. You are left with A (Child Labour) and D (Gender). 'Child Labour' usually involves multiple distinct thresholds (age vs. hazard), justifying two separate conventions (138 & 182), whereas Gender Parity is often a singular principle.
Mains GS-2 (International Institutions) & GS-3 (Economy/Labour): Ratifying these conventions is often a prerequisite for trade benefits (like GSP+ status with EU). Link labour standards to Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.