The closure of schools due to the COVID-19 induced lockdown has forced hundreds of children to drop out of the education system. It has been reported earlier that this has acted as a catalyst for children's increased entry into the labour force, especially in rural India. However, according to child rights activist Dr. P. Bala Murugan, both the central and the state government in Tamil Nadu has been least bothered about children's rights. This is particularly evident in the policies and fund allocation for protection of children's rights. He says that the New Education Policy 2020 will eventually push more children into the labour force.
