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What is the Legal Age of Marriage for Girls in India?
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: September 25th, 2023
The legal age for girls to marry in India is currently 18 years. On the other hand, the legal age for boys to marry is 21 years. This is in accordance with the Child Marriage Law of the Indian Constitution. To prevent child marriages that burdened the girls and led to gender inequality, the government set the minimum age for marriage. This way girls can complete their education and attain maturity before marrying.
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Legal Age of Marriage for Girls in India
The legal age at which girls can marry in India is 18 years. The Child Marriage Act of the Constitution states that below this age, it is illegal for a girl to marry. The act was introduced to discourage the practice of child marriages which were common in rural areas. This act also defines the minimum get for boys to marry which is 21 years.
Setting a legal age of marriage for girls is essential to ensure they are not forced into marriages. To help girls attain education and stay healthy, it is important to ensure they do not marry before they reach emotional maturity. Forcing children into marriage is a punishable offence and marrying below the legal age is also illegal.
Increase in Minimum Age of Marriage for Girls in India
In 2021, under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Amendment Bill, the proposal to increase the legal age for girls to marry in India to 21 years was introduced. This provision is expected to come into effect from 2023, however, there is no confirmation about it yet. Hence, the minimum age of marriage for girls in India is still 18 years.
However, it is expected to be increased to 21 years soon. This change has been introduced to further ensure equality between girls and boys. Many considerations such as physical health, emotional maturity, etc. were considered before this proposal
Summary:
What is the Legal Age of Marriage for Girls in India?
18 is the legal age of marriage for girls in India. The Child Marriage Act has strictly fixed the legal age for girls and boys to marry at 18 years and 21 years respectively. This law aims to abolish the practice of marrying off girls at very young ages.
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