Rajasthan bans child labour under new Shops and Commercial Establishments Ordinance 2025

The Rajasthan government, led by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, implemented the Rajasthan Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 in October 2025. The ordinance bans employment of children below 14 years in shops and commercial establishments, raising the minimum apprenticeship age from 12 to 14 years. It also prohibits night work for adolescents (14–18 years) and increases adult working hours from 9 to 10 hours per day, with overtime limits extended to 144 hours quarterly. The amendment promotes women’s safety and inclusion by mandating PPE and safe conditions, aiming to create a child labour-free, equitable, and safer workplace environment in Rajasthan.