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Contents of the OSH Code

The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020

Section 70. Employment of persons below eighteen years of age

In force since 21 Nov 2025Chapter XI — Special Provisions for Contract Labour and Inter-state Migrant Worker, Etc.Part IV — Mines

Official text

(1) No person below eighteen years of age shall be allowed to work in any mine or part thereof.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), apprentices and other trainees, not below sixteen years of age, may be allowed to work, under proper supervision, in a mine or part thereof by the manager as referred to in section 67:

Provided that in the case of trainees, other than apprentices, prior approval of the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator or an Inspector-cum-Facilitator shall be obtained before they are allowed to work.

(3) The Central Government may prescribe the provisions for medical examination of apprentice, other trainee and employee in the mine to ensure their fitness to work and to prevent the persons below sixteen years of age to work as apprentice or trainee and those who are not adults to work as such employee.

Explanation.—In this section, "apprentice" means an apprentice as defined in clause (a) of section 2 of the Apprentices Act, 1961.

Source: The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, Act No. 37 of 2020 — Gazette of India, p. 46 of the PDF. Open our copy at p. 46 · official download · all sources

Acts cited in the margin: 52 of 1961

Compliance obligations under this provision

Commencement In force since 21 Nov 2025

Notification wording (1)
  • S.O. 5321(E), in force from 21 Nov 2025: “the Central Government hereby appoints the 21st day of November, 2025 as the date on which the provisions of the said Code, shall come into force”