Bangalore: During one of the most awaited moments of recent times- the unveiling of Apple Inc’s iPhone 5, Foxconn, the company’s manufacturing partner in China yet again came under severe criticism over its labor practices. There were allegations of workers committing suicide in work environments that resemble military disciplines, adding to the recent reports that stated vocational students are being compelled to work at plants that make iPhones and their components.

However, Foxconn, clearing the air, acknowledged using student ‘interns’ on manufacturing lines, and said the ‘interns’ are free in their choice to leave, and are not in any compulsion whatsoever, also stated that the company is being targeted for being biggest manufacturer for Apple Inc, the world’s premier electronic brand.

But two worker advocacy groups said after speaking to interns that they are indeed forced by teachers to assemble iPhones at the Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou, north-central China. Adding to the matter, last week Chinese state-run news media reported that several vocational schools in the city of Huai’an, were closed to help Foxconn with supply of students for work and they made students to work for more than 12 hours a day. Ironically some students are from Law and English departments, all this to ease the worker shortages and see the release of latest iPhone5 as for the charts and meet the huge supply demands quickly.

Li Qiang, founder of China Labor Watch, one of the advocacy organizations and a frequent critic of Foxconn’s labor policies, said in an interview on Monday “They (interns) said they are forced to work by the teachers, and up on speaking to multiple workers as recently as Monday, it came out that 10 out of 87 workers were students.”  And said “they (interns) don’t want to work there, instead want to learn and if they don’t work they won’t be graduating, and shortage of workers in Foxconn, tight schedule, prompting to indulge students on manufacturing line.”

“When students enroll in vocational schools, they should receive a genuine education,” said Debby Chan Sze Wan with Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior, the other group that spoke to interns. “Standing in a factory, doing the same motion for 10 hours a day, this is not an education. And they are told they cannot leave, that they must work or they will be dismissed from school.”

More recently, recurring reports about how local governments and Chinese vocational schools coordinate with the company to fill worker vacancies have alarmed some labor groups.

Foxconn, in a statement said that “only 2.7% of our 1.7 million workforces made up of interns, which counts to be 32,000, and schools recruit students under local government supervision; teachers are assigned to accompany and monitor the students during intern.”