Industrial revolution began in Great Britain and soon spread to Europe. The eighteenth century witnessed a range of new developments in areas of manufacturing on global levels, giving rise to a plethora of opportunities in sectors that were not known to have existed before. And with industrial revolution, employment and employment laws assumed a crucial place in smooth business functioning and global trade. India being the major contributor during the era of colonized rule, became an important contributor to Industrial revolution during the nineteenth century and onwards. Accordingly, labour laws were formed in pre-independent India and were later amended as per the prevailing trade conditions after independence.
As the title suggests, Dr Amitava Ghosh’s book “The Realm Of India’s Employment Laws And The Indian Constitution” provides in-depth view of the laws governing employment policies and their recognition duly imbibed in the Indian constitution. The book enlightens about how India being a large democracy even during independence and during the subsequent penning of Indian constitution, contained huge variations in skill set and how their employment at various stages of manufacturing and trade was classified in the Indian constitution, not only with respect to wages earned but also on basis of nature of work done.
India as a country has the largest written constitution in the world, covering each and every aspect of freedom, rights and privileges of its citizens. Dr Ghosh methodically mentions the various Fundamental rights and articles, duly noting references to their directive principles as described in the Indian constitution. Dr Ghosh mentions how Indian constitution governs labour and employment laws with due consideration to fundamental rights of its citizens, emphasizing on aspects such as Equality before the law, Religion, Sex, caste, freedom of speech and expression and has in recent years given provisions to resolve any disputes through defined policies. While covering the important rules and regulations of employment, Dr Ghosh writes extensively about employment welfare schemes, special benefits, specific provisions against employing underage labour, referring to prohibition of employment of children in any establishment and institutions. The book mentions how each citizen is treated equally and given equal rights regardless of their place of birth, creed and religion.
Referring to all important upgradation such the recent codes on important bills such as the Social Security Bill 2019 and related Labour Code 2020, the book covers vast aspects of employment, emphasizing on how, with progress and opening of newer avenues such as app based organizations Uber, Ola, Amazon, Zomato, Swiggy, OYO Homes, the nature of work has changed over past 7 years and how the policies have been simplified, combining various laws and incorporating them in the present Indian constitution so as to give maximum benefits to the employed. Dr Ghosh makes detailed and information-rich comparisons between the laws pertaining to employment during the British era, where injustice was a norm, with the present-day employment laws as upgraded in the Indian constitution over the very recent years. The book further explains how the Indian constitution places importance of basing employment laws on just and well thought policies such as “Equal pay for equal work” through various articles while guarding the same with other policies such as pay based on quality of work and merit.
The language of the book is very easy to understand and has been written keeping in mind, people of all ages as it can be referred to by students as well. The style of writing of Dr Ghosh is simple yet appealing to the readers and creates interest in the subject. Each page contains references from various different articles of the Indian constitution and Dr Ghosh uses his vast knowledge to enlighten the readers of how the articles may not be considered absolute, given the modification in other related articles and cites both articles to give the readers a crystal-clear view of the said laws. The author gives a very clear picture of how employment laws have been modified in the past few years to the advantage of citizens of India.
Dr Amitava Ghosh, a seasoned author has utilized his experience as an Employment Law Practitioner and has brought to his eager readers, the changes, modifications and amendments carried out in recent years as per suggestions and requirements of the current promising and progressive employment sector in India. With an expertise on the subject that resembles that of Durga Das Basu, Dr Amitava Ghosh has created one of the most reliable books on employment and labour laws as mentioned in the Indian constitution. The book is a must buy for every political enthusiast and is strongly recommended further for every household, because it covers the most important aspects of employment and makes one familiar with the benefits that one gets under the laws as per the Indian constitution.