Railway
The oldest trade union organisation in India is the:
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option C — All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)
Detailed Solution
The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) is the oldest central trade union organisation in India.
About the AITUC:
- It was founded on 31 October 1920 in Bombay (Mumbai).
- Its first President was Lala Lajpat Rai, and its first General Secretary was Diwan Chaman Lall.
Joseph Baptista was one of its first Vice-Presidents, and N. M. Joshi was among its key founders.
It was formed partly so that India could send workers' representatives to the International Labour Organization (ILO), founded in 1919.
Leaders of the national movement, such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose, also served as its Presidents.
After independence, it became closely linked with the Communist Party of India (CPI).
Early labour history in India:
The "Madras Labour Union" (1918), founded by B. P. Wadia, is considered the first organised trade union in India.
The "Bombay Mill Hands Association" (1890) was formed by N. M. Lokhande, but it was not a formal trade union.
The Trade Unions Act, 1926 gave legal recognition and protection to registered trade unions.
In 1929, there was a split in AITUC, and N. M. Joshi formed the "All India Trade Union Federation".
Other central trade unions:
- Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC): 1947; linked to the Indian National Congress.
- Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS): 1948; socialist.
- Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS): 1955; founded by Dattopant Thengadi; now the largest central trade union.
- Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU): 1970; linked to the CPI(M).
Labour codes:
India has replaced 29 central labour laws with four Labour Codes: on Wages (2019), Industrial Relations (2020), Social Security (2020), and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (2020). The Industrial Relations Code replaced the Trade Unions Act, 1926.
Related days:
International Workers' Day (May Day): 1 May. It was first celebrated in India in Madras in 1923 by Singaravelu Chettiar.
Why not the other options?
- ✗INTUC was formed in 1947.
- ✗CITU was formed in 1970.
- ✗Good to know
- ✗BMS was formed in 1955.
Quick tip
Remember: AITUC = oldest central trade union (31 October 1920, Bombay; first President Lala Lajpat Rai); Madras Labour Union = 1918 (B. P. Wadia); Trade Unions Act = 1926; INTUC = 1947; BMS = 1955; CITU = 1970.
💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore Firsts in India & World Questions
View all ›More General Knowledge Questions
- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms
Firsts in India & World — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Firsts in India & World, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the first persons and events in India and the world: the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize, the first woman to hold major offices, the first to climb Everest or reach space, and India's first institutions, newspapers, railways and satellites. It also covers the largest, longest, highest and smallest records in India and the world. These are pure memory questions, so revise them as short lists by theme: first women, first in sports, first in science and space, and first in governance. Be careful with the exact wording, such as 'first Indian' versus 'first person of Indian origin', or 'first woman President' versus 'first woman Prime Minister', since options are often designed to exploit this. Practise the firsts in India and the world questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.