These states recorded the highest child labour rescues in 2024-25 — from spas, parlours, orchestras

The report reveals even more disturbing trends: nearly 90 percent of children rescued across India were found working in sectors classified as the worst forms of child labour — including spas, massage parlours, and orchestras — where children are subjected to prostitution, pornography, and other forms of sexual exploitation. The findings are part of the report titled “Building the Case for Zero: How Prosecution Acts as a Tipping Point to End Child Labour”, published by the Centre for Legal Action and Behaviour Change (C-LAB), the research wing of JRC partner India Child Protection.

The report further states that following the raids, 38,388 FIRs were registered and 5,809 arrests were made, 85 percent of which were related to child labour. Telangana led with 11,063 children rescued, followed by Bihar (3,974), Rajasthan (3,847), Uttar Pradesh (3,804), and Delhi (2,588). A total of 5,809 individuals were arrested, 85 percent of them in child labour – related cases. Telangana, Bihar, and Rajasthan reported the highest arrests, while states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh had fewer arrests despite high rescue numbers — highlighting enforcement gaps, the report said.

Given the gravity of the situation, the report recommends launching a National Mission to End Child Labour, allocating adequate resources for it, and forming district-level Child Labour Task Forces. The report, which is based on the data from the rescue operations conducted by the country’s largest NGO network working for child protection, is for the period April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025.

Expressing concern on the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labour as recognised by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Government of India, Ravi Kant, National Convener, Just Rights for Children, said: “The fact that such a large number of children were engaged in the worst forms of child labour shows that despite the efforts of the government and civil society, our national resolve to eliminate child labour remains incomplete. India is a signatory to the ILO Convention 182, which commits to eliminating all hazardous forms of child labour. India is making sincere efforts in this direction and encouraging results are emerging”.

He further said: “This report establishes that legal action creates a fear of the law in the public mind, which acts as a deterrent against child labour. Justice for children trapped in the worst forms of child labour will only be achieved when the culprits are punished and robust mechanisms for the protection and rehabilitation of victims are in place. The government must strengthen the prosecution system, establish a Child Labour Rehabilitation Fund, and formulate a comprehensive rehabilitation policy to make these children self-reliant”.

The report also emphasises legal action, education, and rehabilitation for the eradication of child labour and makes several recommendations. It said that unless strict legal action is taken against offenders, it will be difficult to curb child labour. Moreover, if there are no arrangements for the education and rehabilitation of rescued children, they will fall back into the vicious cycle of child labour. Hence, a Child Labour Rehabilitation Fund is the need of the hour.

Also, ensuring free and compulsory education for up to 18 years will help in preventing child labour, as children who drop out of school are more likely to get trapped in exploitative labour, the report has stated. The report calls for comprehensive policy changes, a zero-tolerance policy on the use of child labour in government procurement, an expansion of the list of hazardous industries, state-specific child labour policies, extending the SDG 8.7 deadline to 2030, and strict, time-bound legal action against perpetrators.