Indentured

Meaning

Bound by a formal contract of service, historically often coercive or exploitative in character

Origin / Etymology

Middle English indenture, from Old French endenture, a serrated contract document whose torn edge verified authenticity

Synonyms

Bonded Contracted Servile

Antonyms

Free Unbound

Example Sentence

"Public employment in India is not indentured, and a blanket administrative direction against accepting scientists' resignations sits awkwardly with the freedom to practise any profession under Article 19(1)(g)."

🎯 UPSC Usage

Central to GS1 answers on indentured labour and Girmitiya migration under colonialism, and useful in GS2/essay answers on the rights of public servants, e.g., 'colonial indentured labour schemes shaped today's Indian diaspora in Mauritius, Fiji and the Caribbean.'

Relevant Subjects

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