CLASS XII — ENGLISH PROJECT
Half Yearly Examination | Marks: 10
PROJECT ON CHILD LABOUR
Based on the Chapter
"The Lost Spring"
by Anees Jung
Flamingoes — Class XII NCERT
A Field Interview with a Child Working at a Tea & Snacks Stall
Near Lalpur Chowk, Ranchi, Jharkhand
Submitted by:
[Your Name]
Class XII | Section: ___ | Roll No.: ___
Submitted to:
[Teacher's Name]
[Your School Name]
Date of Submission: 16th June, 2026
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that [Your Name], student of Class XII, Section ___, Roll No. ___, has
successfully completed the English Project titled:
"Project on Child Labour — Based on The Lost Spring"
The project has been completed under my guidance. The work is original, carried out sincerely,
and based on a real field interview conducted by the student.
Teacher's Name: ___________________________
Signature: ___________________________
Date: ___________________________
School Stamp: ___________________________
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I express my heartfelt gratitude to my English teacher, [Teacher's Name], whose thoughtful
assignment gave me the opportunity to step beyond the classroom and witness real life
through the lens of literature.
I thank my parents for accompanying me and supporting the purchase of gifts for the child.
Their encouragement made this field experience possible and meaningful.
I am grateful to Rajan, the young boy at the tea stall near Lalpur Chowk, Ranchi, who spoke to
me with honesty and trust despite being a stranger. His words reminded me that behind every
statistic on child labour is a real human being with real dreams.
Lastly, I thank the authors of our NCERT textbook — this chapter did not just teach me
English, it taught me empathy.
[Your Name]
Class XII | [School Name]
INDEX / CONTENTS
[Link]. Content Page No.
1 Cover Page 1
2 Certificate 2
3 Acknowledgement 3
4 Index / Contents 4
5 Introduction to The Lost Spring 5
6 Objective of the Project 6
7 Questionnaire — 10 Questions 7
8 Interview Responses 8–10
9 Photographs & Gift Distribution 11
10 Learning Outcome & Reflection 12
11 Conclusion 13
12 Teacher's Signature 14
INTRODUCTION TO THE LOST SPRING
"The Lost Spring — Stories of Stolen Childhood" is a deeply moving chapter from the Class XII
NCERT textbook Flamingoes, written by Anees Jung. It presents two heart-wrenching
accounts of child poverty in India that force the reader to confront an uncomfortable truth —
that millions of Indian children are robbed of their childhood not by accident, but by poverty,
social inequality, and collective indifference.
The first story follows Saheb-e-Alam, a young ragpicker from Seemapuri, Delhi, whose family
migrated from Bangladesh in search of a better life. Saheb scavenges garbage heaps every
morning, dreaming of finding a coin — a powerful metaphor for the opportunity he is denied.
He later takes up work at a tea stall, which, paradoxically, robs him of even the little freedom
he had as a ragpicker.
The second story introduces Mukesh, a boy from Firozabad, trapped in the generational cycle
of bangle-making. Despite his family's centuries-long bondage to this hazardous trade, Mukesh
dares to dream of becoming a motor mechanic — a quiet but courageous act of rebellion
against fate.
Through both stories, Anees Jung raises urgent questions: Why is the spring — the childhood
— of millions of Indian children lost? Who is responsible? And can it ever be restored?
"Ironically, Saheb from the chapter also ends up working at a tea
stall — losing what little freedom he had. Meeting Rajan felt like
meeting Saheb in real life."
The chapter connects deeply with themes of poverty, child labour, the right to education,
shattered dreams, and social injustice — making it one of the most relevant and moving pieces
in the curriculum.
OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT
The objectives of this project are:
1. To understand the theme of The Lost Spring through real-life experience rather than
just theoretical reading.
2. To develop sensitivity towards children who are forced into labour due to poverty and
social inequality.
3. To practise the skill of interviewing and documentation — approaching the task like a
reporter or journalist.
4. To connect classroom learning with ground-level social realities in Jharkhand.
5. To contribute a small act of kindness — gifting stationery and eatables — as a gesture
of solidarity and encouragement.
6. To reflect critically on child labour as a social evil and examine what students, citizens,
and governments can do to address it.
7. To develop empathy, social awareness, and a sense of responsibility as future citizens
of India.
QUESTIONNAIRE — 10 QUESTIONS
(Prepared before the interview)
The following questions were prepared in advance to guide the interview in a structured yet
natural manner:
8. What is your name and how old are you?
9. Where are you from? Do you live nearby or have you migrated from another place?
10. Do you go to school? How regularly are you able to attend?
11. What work do you do here every day, and what are your working hours?
12. How much money do you earn, and where does it go?
13. Do you enjoy this work, or would you prefer to do something else with your time?
14. Do you have brothers and sisters? Do they study or also work?
15. What does your daily routine look like? Do you ever get time to play?
16. Are you aware that there are laws in India that protect children from working at your
age? How do you feel about that?
17. If you had one wish for yourself and your family, what would it be?
INTERVIEW RESPONSES
Interviewee: Rajan Oraon Age: Approximately 13 years
Location: Tea & Snacks Stall, Near Lalpur Chowk, Ranchi, Jharkhand
Date: [Your interview date] Conducted by: [Your Name], Class XII
Reporter's Note:
I met Rajan on a warm afternoon outside a busy tea stall near Lalpur Chowk, Ranchi. He
was wiping glasses when I approached him. He was hesitant at first, but slowly opened up.
What he shared in the next thirty minutes stayed with me long after I left.
Q1. What is your name and how old are you?
"Rajan hoon. Umra terah saal hogi — Amma ne bataya tha par exact yaad nahi. Hamare
yahan birthday nahi manate, koi zaroorat nahi samjhi kabhi."
(English): "I am Rajan. Thirteen, I think — my mother told me once but I don't remember
exactly. We never celebrated birthdays at home, nobody felt the need."
Q2. Where are you from? Do you live nearby or have you migrated?
"Hum pehle village mein rehte the — Khunti ke paas ek chhota sa gaon hai. Wahan khet tha
lekin paani nahi milta tha sahi se, toh fasal nahi hoti thi. Babuji bole yahan sheher mein kuch
na kuch kaam mil jayega. Toh sab aa gaye. Ab ek kamre mein rehte hain, paanch log. Gaon
yaad aata hai kabhi kabhi."
(English): "We used to live in a village near Khunti, on the outskirts of Ranchi. There was
farmland but crops would often fail due to poor rainfall. My father said we might find work in the
city, so the whole family moved. Now five of us live in one room. I miss the village sometimes."
Q3. Do you go to school? How regularly?
"School toh hai — sarkari school, paas mein hi. Teacher bhi achhe hain. Par main roz nahi ja
sakta. Subah chhe baje yahan aana padta hai. Agar late hua toh malik kisi aur ko rakh leta hai.
Ek baar do hafte nahi gaya — jab wapas gaya toh class mein sab aage nikal gaye the. Toh ab
jaata hoon kabhi kabhi, jab thodi dheel milti hai."
(English): "There is a government school nearby and the teachers are decent. But I cannot go
every day — I have to be here by six in the morning. Once I missed two weeks and when I
returned, everyone in class had moved ahead. Now I go whenever the owner gives me some
slack."
Q4. What work do you do here and what are your working hours?
"Gilas dhota hoon, chai serve karta hoon, table saaf karta hoon. Rush mein snacks bhi banana
padta hai kabhi kabhi. Subah chhe baje se shuru hota hai — raat ko aath nau baj jaate hain
tab jaata hoon. Beech mein khaana bhi yahi khata hoon — malik deta hai."
(English): "I wash glasses, serve tea, clean tables, and sometimes help prepare snacks during
rush hours. I start at six in the morning and it is usually eight or nine at night before I leave. I
eat my meals here too — the owner provides that."
Q5. How much do you earn and where does the money go?
"Sau se dedh sau rupaye milte hain rozana — zyada bheed hogi toh thoda zyada, warna kam.
Poora Amma ko de deta hoon. Woh hi decide karti hain — chawal, dal, bijli ka bill. Maine kabhi
apne liye kuch nahi rakha."
(English): "I earn around ₹100 to ₹150 daily — a little more on busy days. I give everything to
my mother. She decides how it is spent — rice, lentils, electricity bill. I have never kept anything
for myself."
Q6. Do you like this work or would you prefer something else?
"Achha nahi lagta honestly. Haath dard karte hain, kuch log bade bure se bolte hain — jaise
hum kuch hain hi nahi. Fauj mein jaana tha — uniform pehenna tha, desh ke liye kuch karna
tha. Ab woh sapna thoda door lagta hai."
(English): "Honestly, I don't enjoy it. My hands hurt and some customers speak very rudely —
like we don't matter. I always wanted to join the army, wear a uniform, serve the country. That
dream feels quite far away now."
Q7. Do you have siblings? Do they study or also work?
"Haan, ek chhoti behen hai — Sunita — woh padhti hai, class 5 mein hai. Ek aur chhota bhai
hai, Sonu, woh abhi bahut chhota hai, ghar pe rehta hai Amma ke saath. Babuji chahte hain ki
Sunita padhti rahe. Main bhi chahta hoon woh padhti rahe — isliye main kaam karta hoon taki
uski fees aur copy-kitab ka kharcha nikal sake."
(English): "I have a younger sister, Sunita — she is in Class 5. And a younger brother Sonu,
who is still small and stays home with our mother. My father insists that Sunita keeps studying.
I want that too — honestly, that is one reason I keep working, so her school fees and books
can be managed."
Q8. What is your daily routine? Do you get time to play?
"Subah paanch baje uthta hoon. Amma roti banati hain, woh khaake aata hoon. Din bhar
yahan kaam — chai dena, gilas dhona, table saaf karna. Shaam ko bhi rush hoti hai office
walon ki. Raat ko ghar jaata hoon, pair dard karte hain. So jaata hoon. Khel? Kabhi kabhi
Sunday ko thoda time milta hai — pados ke ladkon ke saath gilli-danda khelate hain. Par woh
bhi hamesha nahi hota."
(English): "I wake up at five in the morning. My mother makes rotis, I eat and come here. The
whole day goes in serving tea, washing glasses, cleaning tables. Evenings get busy with office
workers. By the time I reach home at night my feet ache badly. I just eat and sleep. Play?
Sometimes on Sundays I get an hour — we play gilli-danda with neighbourhood boys. But even
that doesn't happen every week."
Q9. Do you know children your age are protected by law from working?
"Haan, teacher ne ek baar padha tha — Child Labour Act ya kuch aisa. Par yahan koi nahi
aata check karne. Aur agar aaye bhi — main ghar pe baith jaaunga toh khana kahan se
aayega? Kanoon se pet nahi bharta."
(English): "Yes, my teacher once taught us about it — the Child Labour Act or something like
that. But nobody comes here to check. And even if they did — if I sit at home, where will the
food come from? Laws don't fill stomachs."
Q10. If you had one wish for yourself and your family, what would it be?
"Ek hi wish hai — Babuji ko achha kaam mile, permanent kaam, jahan se har mahine paise
aayein. Phir main school jaaunga roz. Sunita bhi freely padhegi. Amma ko doosron ke ghar
kaam nahi karna padega. Aur Sonu ko — Sonu ko main khud padhaunga. Woh jo banna
chahega banega — doctor, engineer, kuch bhi. Par chhotepan mein kaam nahi karega. Yeh
main pakka karoonga."
(English): "Just one wish — that my father gets a stable permanent job with a fixed monthly
income. Then I will go to school every day. Sunita will study freely. My mother won't have to do
domestic work in other people's homes. And Sonu — I will personally make sure he gets
educated. He can become whatever he wants — doctor, engineer, anything. But he will not
work as a child. That much I will make sure of."
PHOTOGRAPHS & GIFT DISTRIBUTION
The following photographs were taken during the field interview and gift distribution session
conducted near Lalpur Chowk, Ranchi, Jharkhand.
[ PHOTOGRAPH 1 — Stick here ]
Rajan pouring tea through a strainer into kullhads at the stall — photographed during the field interview.
[ PHOTOGRAPH 2 — Stick here ]
Presenting notebooks, stationery, Cadbury Dairy Milk and snacks to Rajan during the gift distribution.
[ PHOTOGRAPH 3 — Stick here ]
Second gifting photograph — Choco Pie and Caspello chocolates along with notebooks handed to
Rajan.
Items Gifted:
• Notebooks & textbooks
• Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate
• Choco Pie & Caspello chocolates
• Kurkure & snack packets
"The smile on his face when he received the gifts was worth more
than any mark on this project."
LEARNING OUTCOME & REFLECTION
Reading The Lost Spring in class made me feel sad for Saheb and Mukesh. But meeting Rajan
made me feel something far deeper — guilt, responsibility, and resolve.
Before this interview, child labour was a chapter topic. After it, it became a face — Rajan's
face, with tired eyes and cracked hands, yet a shy smile when I gave him chocolates.
What moved me most was the trap he described without even knowing it: his mother tells him
to study, but also sends him to work. He wants to become a soldier, but can barely attend
school. He knows the law protects him, but the law cannot put food on his plate. This is
precisely what Anees Jung meant — these children do not lose their spring by choice. Society,
poverty, and our collective indifference take it from them.
I also realised how lucky I am — to have a school bag instead of a tray of tea glasses, to have
the freedom to dream without worrying about tonight's dinner. This privilege comes with
responsibility.
Meeting Rajan did not just complete my project. It changed the way I will read every lesson
from now on. I will no longer see stories as just stories. Every Saheb is real. Every Mukesh is
real. Every Rajan is real.
"I walked back home that day with my school bag on my shoulders
— and for the first time, I truly felt the weight of how lucky that
was."
CONCLUSION
"The Lost Spring" is not merely a story about Saheb and Mukesh. It is a mirror held up to
society — reflecting the millions of children across India whose childhoods are silently stolen
by poverty, social inequality, and systemic failure.
My interaction with Rajan near Lalpur Chowk, Ranchi, confirmed that the spring described by
Anees Jung is being lost even today — in tea stalls, in workshops, on roadsides — wherever a
child works when they should be studying or playing.
The solution lies not in pity, but in action: stronger implementation of the Child Labour
(Prohibition and Regulation) Act, quality accessible education, economic support to poor
families through government schemes like PM Bal Shramik Vidya Yojana, and above all — a
society that refuses to look away.
As a student, I cannot change the world today. But I can carry this awareness into adulthood
and choose to act upon it. That, I believe, is the true learning outcome of The Lost Spring.
"He serves tea to those who are free. He dreams of a day when he
will be one of them."
"A nation's future is written in the classrooms of the present. When
a child is in a tea stall instead of a classroom — the nation loses
too."
TEACHER'S SIGNATURE
Checked and Verified by:
Teacher's Name: ___________________________
Signature: ___________________________
Date: ___________________________
Remarks: ___________________________
Class XII | English Project | The Lost Spring
Date of Submission: 16th June, 2026