Which of the following statements about the first Indian Factory Act passed in 1881 is/are correct ? 1. The Act dealt primarily with the problem of child labour. 2. The Act laid down that children between 7 years and 12 years of age would not work for more than 9 hours a day. Select the correct answer using the code given below :

The Indian Factory Act of 1881 was the first legislative attempt by the British government to regulate working conditions in Indian factories. Statement 1 is correct as the Act dealt primarily with the problem of child labour, specifically targeting children between the ages of 7 and 12 [1]. Statement 2 is also correct because the Act prohibited the employment of children under 7 years of age and restricted the working hours for children aged 7 to 12 to a maximum of 9 hours per day [1]. Additionally, the Act mandated four holidays per month for child workers and required the fencing of hazardous machinery [1][2]. While the Act was limited in scope—applying only to factories using mechanical power and employing 100 or more persons—it established the first statutory protections for minors in the Indian industrial workforce.

Sources

1. [1] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 27: Survey of British Policies in India > Labour Legislations > p. 534
2. [2] https://magazines.odisha.gov.in/orissareview/feb-mar-2007/engpdf/page67-73.pdf