National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme

Scheme Introduction: A Brief Overview

Every child deserves the opportunity to study, grow in a safe environment and build a better future. However, children who enter the workforce at an early age can miss out on education and other essential support. The National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme was introduced in 1988 to address this issue in districts with a high concentration of child labour. The scheme focused on withdrawing children from work, providing them with bridge education, vocational or pre-vocational training, nutrition, health care and a stipend through Special Training Centres (STCs), and eventually mainstreaming them into formal schools. Over the course of its implementation, around 14.3 lakh children had been rescued or withdrawn from work, rehabilitated and mainstreamed by 31 March 2023. However, NCLP is no longer a standalone operational scheme; it was subsumed into Samagra Shiksha with effect from 1 April 2021.

NCLP was implemented by the Ministry of Labour & Employment through its Child Labour Division. At the district level, the work was coordinated through District Project Societies headed by the District Collector or District Magistrate, with Special Training Centres helping eligible children bridge their learning gaps before entering age-appropriate formal education. The scheme was fully funded by the Central Government during its operation and also promoted convergence with education, health, nutrition and family welfare programmes. Under the revised framework, its target group included working children below 14 years and adolescents aged 14–18 years engaged in hazardous occupations or processes.

Since NCLP has been subsumed into Samagra Shiksha, there is no fresh application or enrolment process under the former NCLP scheme. Children identified or rescued from child labour can instead receive educational rehabilitation through the applicable special-training and school-education mechanisms under Samagra Shiksha, along with other child-protection and welfare services. For assistance or to report a case of child labour, people can approach the concerned district labour authorities, district administration or other competent child-protection authorities.

Readers looking for related support can also explore Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, which supports residential schooling for eligible girls, and the PM CARES for Children Scheme, which provides education, care and other support to eligible children affected by the loss of parents or caregivers due to COVID-19. These schemes address different needs, but may be relevant for readers looking for government support related to children's education, care and rehabilitation.

Scheme Benefits

The National Child Labour Project (NCLP) was designed to help children leave work and return to education in a safe and supportive environment. During the scheme's operation, children enrolled through Special Training Centres received support such as:

• Bridge education to help children cover learning gaps and prepare for admission to a regular school.
• Vocational and pre-vocational training to help children learn practical skills during their rehabilitation.
• A monthly stipend, which was initially ₹150 per child and was later increased to ₹400 under the revised provisions, subject to the applicable payment and attendance rules.
• Nutritious cooked meals through coordination with the government mid-day meal programme.
• Health check-ups and basic health care through coordination with relevant government health programmes.
• Learning materials and opportunities for recreational activities at Special Training Centres.
• Help with admission to neighbourhood schools and other suitable formal education institutions after completing special training.
• Support for adolescents withdrawn from hazardous work through linkage with suitable skill-development opportunities.
• Linkage of families with relevant government welfare, livelihood, employment, health and social-security programmes where required.
• Follow-up support after mainstreaming to help children continue their education and reduce the risk of returning to work.

Important: NCLP is no longer a standalone operational scheme. It was subsumed into Samagra Shiksha with effect from 1 April 2021. Therefore, the benefits listed above describe the support available under the former NCLP framework and should not be understood as benefits that can currently be claimed through a new NCLP application.

Special Training Centres (STCs) Under National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme

Special Training Centres (STCs) were an important part of the National Child Labour Project. They provided children withdrawn from work with the education and support they needed before moving into regular schools.

• Children in the 9–14 years age group were mainly provided training through NCLP Special Training Centres.
• Each centre generally had 15 to 50 children.
• Classes were generally conducted for about 5 hours a day, 6 days a week.
• Children received bridge education to help them cover learning gaps and prepare for admission to an age-appropriate class in a regular school.
• The centres also provided pre-vocational and craft-based training to develop practical skills.
• Learning materials and other educational resources were provided as required under the applicable arrangements.
• Children received a nutritious cooked meal through coordination with the government mid-day meal programme.
• Health check-ups and basic health support were provided through coordination with relevant government health programmes.
• Training was organised in modules of at least 3 months, preferably extending up to 6 months, depending on the child's learning needs.
• A child could remain in special training for up to 2 years under the revised NCLP framework, depending on progress and the time needed for mainstreaming.
• Once the child was ready, he or she was mainstreamed into formal schooling rather than continuing indefinitely at the training centre.

The centres were generally established in areas where child labour was concentrated and where children needed additional educational support before joining regular schools. The overall aim was to help children make a smooth transition from work to education.

Age-Wise Support Under NCLP

NCLP used an age-based approach so that children could receive support suited to their educational and rehabilitation needs. The main approach under the revised framework was as follows:

The revised NCLP guidelines specifically provided that children aged 5–8 years should be directly linked to school, while identified children aged 9–14 years were to receive rehabilitation through NCLP Special Training Centres before mainstreaming.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility under the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) was linked to the child's age, employment status and the nature of work. The main eligibility conditions under the revised NCLP framework were as follows:

• Working children below 14 years of age were covered for withdrawal from child labour and rehabilitation.
• Children in the 9–14 years age group were primarily provided support through NCLP Special Training Centres to prepare them for formal schooling.
• Children aged 5–8 years identified as being out of school were generally linked directly with the formal school system through the education framework.
• Adolescents aged 14–18 years engaged in hazardous occupations or processes were covered for withdrawal from hazardous work and could be linked with suitable skill-development opportunities.
• Children were generally identified through surveys, inspections, rescue operations or other district-level child labour identification mechanisms in areas covered by the project.
• The rehabilitation approach also included linking families of child labourers with relevant government welfare and livelihood programmes to address factors that could contribute to child labour.

Since NCLP was subsumed into Samagra Shiksha from 1 April 2021, these are historical eligibility provisions of the NCLP framework. There is no fresh enrolment under a standalone NCLP scheme today.

Required Documents

As the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) is no longer accepting fresh enrolments as a standalone scheme, there is no current NCLP document list for online application. During its operation, documents and records were generally collected as part of the identification, verification, rehabilitation and school-mainstreaming process.

• Proof of the child's age, such as a birth certificate or other valid age-related record.
• Child's identification and basic personal details, wherever required by the implementing authority.
• Details or records confirming that the child was withdrawn from child labour, where applicable.
• Bank account details for stipend payments through Direct Benefit Transfer, where applicable.
• Parent or guardian details and contact information.
• School or educational records, if available, for assessment and age-appropriate mainstreaming.
• Any other documents or information requested by the concerned district authority for rehabilitation and enrolment in the applicable education programme.

For children requiring support today, the concerned District Labour Office, District Administration or education authorities can provide information about the documents required under the current rehabilitation and school-enrolment process.

Steps to Apply

Since NCLP is no longer accepting fresh enrolments, there is no NCLP application form for reporting a child labour case today. If you see a child working or in distress, the case should be reported through the current child-protection and labour-enforcement channels so that the concerned authorities can take appropriate action.

• Call Child Helpline 1098 for a child in distress or requiring immediate assistance.
• The helpline operates 24×7 and is integrated with the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112).
• Report the case to the concerned District Labour Office or Labour Department for action under the child labour laws.
• You can also approach the District Magistrate, District Administration, police or the appropriate child-protection authority, particularly when immediate intervention is required.
• After a child is withdrawn from work, the concerned authorities can coordinate education, rehabilitation, care and other support according to the child's needs.

Child Helpline 1098 provides round-the-clock assistance to children and connects them with appropriate care, protection and rehabilitation services through the government child-protection system.

Relevant Links

• Ministry of Labour & Employment Website
• PENCiL Portal
• Revised National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme Guidelines
• National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme District List
• Samagra Shiksha

Contact Information

For queries related to child labour, NCLP records and the PENCiL Portal, the Ministry of Labour & Employment's Child & Women Labour and PENCiL Portal division can be contacted through the following official details:

Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India

• Phone: 011-23711354
• Email:  [email protected]
• Address: 301-A, Shram Shakti Bhawan, Rafi Marg, New Delhi – 110001.

For general Ministry-related queries, readers can also use the official Ministry directory to find the concerned division or officer. The Ministry's current directory identifies the Child & Women Labour and PENCiL Portal division and its contact details.