Every teenager who is 15 years old or above, start thinking of financial liberty by earning his/her own money. To do so, they start exploring the various possibilities for employment. However, it is necessary for them to understand the legal structure of child labor and employment of minors.
This article discusses possible jobs for 15 year olds in India while keeping the legal scenario in perspective in the various states.
Keep reading, keep learning!
Know the Legal Structure
The legal working age in India is defined under several laws:
- Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986: It prohibits children less than the age of 14 years to work either in any hazardous occupation or in any mine. However, adolescents between the ages of 14 to 18 years can be appointed or work in non-hazardous jobs under certain conditions.
- Factories Act, 1948: According to this act, children below the age of 14 years cannot be employed in factories. Adolescents in the age group of 15 to 18 years can be employed in factories but with limited working hours and under certain working conditions.
- Mines Act, 1952: None below the age of 18 can be given job assignments in mines.
- Minimum Wages Act, 1948: Provides minimum wage provisions for workers that include adolescence.
- State-Specific Laws: Apart from the National Laws, different States in India might have their own additional set of rules regarding juvenile working hours, type of work allowed, etc.
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Jobs for 15 Year Olds
By considering the law, here are some of these suitable jobs available for a 15-year-old within India are follows:
Online Jobs
1. Online Jobs
With digital avenues growing, many job opportunities exist online:
- Freelance Content Writing: If the child is a born writer, that’s perfect; they should take up freelance work because they can avail jobs online through sites like Upwork and Fiverr, and the good thing is they can do this from home and set their own time.
- Virtual Assistant: Most companies hire virtual assistants for setting appointments, managing emails, or doing researches. The good thing is that this work can be done from home.
- Online Tutoring: If a teenager is good at something, then they can teach junior students for that subject through Chegg or Vedantu.
- Data Entry Jobs: Mostly simple data entry jobs can be done online that require only basic computer knowledge.
Part Time Jobs
2. Part Time Jobs
If someone is seeking opportunities offline then there are several part-time jobs:
- Retail Assistant: Teenagers are often hired in retail stores to serve, restock the products, and clean stores
- Café or Restaurant Staff: Teenagers can serve as waiters or kitchen helpers in the cafés and restaurants. Such jobs provide flexible hours and tips
- Babysitting or Pet Sitting: Babysitting and pet sitting can be an excellent income source for flexible scheduling.
- Teaching Younger Students: Teens can teach other young students specific subjects that interest them. This earns them pocket money while allowing them to solidify their understanding of the subject.
- Newspaper Delivery: Those teenagers who wake up early can earn through newspaper delivery to individual homes in their neighborhood.
- Lawn Cutting or Gardening: Teens interested in gardening can offer their neighbors in lawn cutting, weeding, or any other type of gardening.
Interships
3. Interships
Many firms provide internships for students looking to gain experience:
- Internships in Startups: Most startups look for active interns who can support tasks from marketing to administrative work. Such jobs may come with stipends or experience, and it is not restricted by age.
- NGO Internships: NGOs usually look for young volunteers or interns willing to participate in social causes and gain experience while doing so.
State Law on Legal Aspects
Although national laws provide a framework, states have their regulations for youth employment. Below are the states chosen because they provide the highest employment:
- Maharashtra: The Maharashtra state has some rules that guide the working hours for the young teens and does not allow night shifts in the case of teenagers below 18 years old
- Delhi: In Delhi, the work of the youths in the hazardous environment is strictly prohibited, while adolescents only work in non-hazardous environments, but for a limited time.
- Karnataka: Karnataka has enacted various legislations that encourage the skills among the minors but prohibits them from working in hazardous sectors.
- Tamil Nadu: There are some clauses in this state that safeguard the juvenile laborers and offer them healthy atmospheres to work.
- Gujarat: Gujarat allows juveniles to be employed but makes sure that the employers provide a list of such minors, along with the working hours, to ensure the labors operate within the legal limit.
Considerations for 15 Year Olds Seeking Employment
Though there are lots of jobs for 15 year olds in India, there are a couple of things to consider:
- Focus on Education: Given that money matters, the 15-year-old should learn first and, if possible, ensure that his work does not conflict with his studies.
- Safety: Considering the purpose of taking a job, the 15-year-old should take safety precautions and should not do the job that might expose them to potential harm.
- Legal Provisions: There are legal provisions in India for child employment. The 15-year-olds must properly know about their legal rights and so should their employers.
- Time Management: Work alongside studies is a very hectic job. Time management is important so that they could carry out both activities properly.
Conclusion
The jobs for 15 year olds in India are vast that could be employed to earn money while gathering very essential experience. However, such opportunities must be accessed legally according to the provisions of National and State laws. Understandings of these regulations will save young workers from exploitations, also they are ensured of safe working environments.
Teenagers should always work towards a balance of work, education and personal development in order to have a firm foundation before they join their respective careers. This way, they will enjoy formative years responsibly and productively.
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