Coal Miners of Burdwan District: Characteristics of Employment During 1870 -1972

This research paper, "Coal Miners of Burdwan District: Characteristics of Employment during 1870 -1972" examines the evolution of women's employment in Indian coal mines.Historically, women from communities like the Bhuinyas, Santhals, and Dhangars, kora migrated to coalfields and worked alongside their families.Following a government ban on underground work for women, their employment was restricted to surface operations.This led to a significant decline in the female mining work force from 77,800 in 1946 to 20,100 in 1971.The paper scrutinizes the recruitment systems for women, including the role of the Coal Field Recruiting Organization and Employment Exchanges, and analyses their lives, occupational patterns, skill levels, and employment status.It also discusses issues such as their absence from the workplace, and the deprivation they faced.The study is particularly relevant as it details the socio-economic conditions and the systemic exploitation of women workers in the coal industry during this period.