Beedi Workers: A Study on Their Educational Status

Abstract

Beedi rolling is a home based industry in India, highly labour intensive and predominantly unorganized. Majority of workers are home based women workers. The beedi workers are socio-economically much backward which is influencing their educational status .This article attempt to present the educational status of beedi workers and analyze the impact of Government policy regarding education on it. West Bengal is one of the major beedi producing state where more than one million workers constitute. I have done a sample survey at the Purbasthali II Block of Burdwan District of West Bengal. Thousands workers engage in beedi rolling in the study area. I have chosen 50 households including 140 children of different age group. Beedi rolling is the main occupation of the selected households dominated by the women. However, Government of India has taken various initiatives to improve educational status of the beedi workers .Though they are not responding soundly due to lack of awareness.