Workers in the unorganised sector often belong to groups that are disadvantaged both economically and socially. Identify the specific groups most vulnerable to exploitation in this sector and analyse why their social position compounds their economic hardship.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:24 · grounding rag
Model Answer
The most vulnerable groups in the unorganised sector are:
- Rural areas: Landless agricultural labourers, small and marginal farmers, sharecroppers, and artisans.
- Urban areas: Casual construction workers, street vendors, head load workers, rag pickers, and domestic workers.
- Social groups: Workers from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and backward communities.
Their social position compounds economic hardship because, in addition to receiving irregular and low wages, they also face social discrimination. This double burden — economic exploitation plus social marginalisation — makes it extremely difficult for them to demand fair wages or legal protection, leaving them trapped in poverty.
Source: How to Protect Workers in the Unorganised Sector?, Chapter 2
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Explanation
- The question has two parts: identify the groups (1 mark) and analyse why social position worsens economic hardship (2 marks). Spend more words on the analysis.
- Key phrase examiners look for: "social discrimination" alongside economic vulnerability — the textbook explicitly links these two.
- Listing specific groups (landless labourers, SC/ST, etc.) by name scores better than vague references to "poor workers."
- Avoid over-explaining; the answer is 3 marks, so keep it concise and pointed.