Question

Why is the legal age of marriage in India is 18 for girls and 21 for boys?

Answer 1

Hint: Child marriages are prevalent in India, and hence there is a legal age of marriage for boys and girls. There are many causes for child marriage, but the main reason being poverty and poor socio-economic conditions. PCMA (Prohibition of Child Marriage Act), decided the minimum or legal age of marriage for girls as 18 based on the increased maternal mortality rate.

Complete answer:
During the British colonial times, the legal age of marriage for girls and boys was set as 14 and 18 respectively. In 1978, according to PCMA, the legal age of marriage was revised as 18 and 21 for girls and boys. The main concern behind the revised legal ages is the increase in maternal mortality rate. Girls who marry early in life, which is less than the age of 15 are not well informed about reproductive health and issues. Hence, pregnancy related deaths are the leading cause of death in girls between the age of 15 and 19. Girls getting married between the age of 20 and 24, are less likely to die because of pregnancy related issues.

Apart from the increased maternal mortality rate, the other consequences of early marriage or child marriage are poor infant health, sexual violence and unwanted pregnancies which in turn affects the health of the girl. Infants born to mothers less than the age of 15 are more likely to die than infants born to mothers over the age of 19. Infants usually experience poor physical health because of malnutrition, low birth weight and low cognitive growth and development.

After the revised legal age of marriage in 1978, the MMR (Maternal Mortality Rate) has been drastically reduced. In India, MMR was found to be 550 per 100000 live births in the 1990s, which has decreased to 130 per 100000 live births in the year 2016.

Note:
It is important to remember the act, PCMA (Prohibition of Child Marriage Act) which was responsible for the revision of legal age of marriage in the year 1978. Both the maternal mortality rate and the infant mortality rate was found to be decreased, when the mothers were over the age of 19.