India has pledged to eliminate child marriage by 2030 under the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, a commitment that reflects both moral urgency and developmental necessity. While national data shows a steady decline in the practice over the past two decades, the persistence of child marriage in several States reveals a troubling gap between policy intent and social reality.
India’s commitment and recent policy push
Ending child marriage is central to India’s commitment to the SDGs, particularly those related to gender equality, health, education and poverty reduction. In this context, the Union government recently marked one year of the “Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Abhiyan”, launching a 100-day nationwide awareness campaign aimed at mobilising communities against the practice.
Official data indicates progress. According to the National Family Health Survey, the proportion of women married before the age of 18 declined from 47.4% in 2005–06 to 23.3% in 2019–21. Yet, in a country of over 146 crore people, national averages conceal sharp regional and social disparities.
Uneven progress across States
Child marriage remains highly prevalent among women aged 18–29 in States such as West Bengal, Bihar and Tripura. Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan also report high rates, underscoring that the practice is not confined to one region or cultural context.
This unevenness points to the limits of one-size-fits-all interventions and the need for State-specific strategies grounded in local socio-economic conditions.
Poverty, education and early marriage
Analysis by the of NFHS data shows a strong correlation between child marriage, poverty and lack of education:
- About 40% of girls from the poorest wealth quintile marry before 18, compared to just 8% from the richest quintile.
- Nearly 48% of girls with no formal education are married early, versus only 4% among those with higher education.
These figures highlight that child marriage is not merely a cultural issue but a structural one, rooted in economic insecurity and limited life opportunities for girls.
The law and its weak enforcement
The principal legal instrument to curb the practice is the . However, data from the suggests that the law is infrequently invoked and has a low conviction rate.
At the same time, the application of stringent laws such as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act has generated unintended consequences. Fear of severe criminal penalties has driven some adolescents to seek unsafe, unregulated medical help, worsening health risks rather than reducing them.
Health and social consequences
It is well established that child marriage is associated with:
- Higher maternal and infant mortality
- Poor nutritional outcomes
- Early school dropouts and intergenerational poverty
These outcomes directly undermine India’s broader development goals, reinforcing cycles of disadvantage rather than breaking them.
Why incentives alone are not enough
States such as West Bengal, despite offering cash incentives to encourage girls’ education, continue to record high child marriage rates. This suggests that financial schemes alone cannot counter deeply entrenched social norms unless supported by:
- Quality schooling and retention up to secondary level
- Safe transport and sanitation facilities for girls
- Community engagement that shifts attitudes towards gender roles
The Centre’s Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme, while symbolically important, needs deeper targeting of the most vulnerable communities and stronger convergence with health, education and social protection systems.
Broader development implications
According to , at least nine of the 17 SDGs cannot be achieved globally without ending child marriage. In India’s case, failure to address the drivers of early marriage will stall progress on gender equality, human capital formation and inclusive growth.
What to note for Prelims?
- India aims to end child marriage by 2030 under the SDGs.
- NFHS data shows a decline but wide inter-State variation.
- Strong link between child marriage, poverty and education levels.
- Key laws: Prevention of Child Marriage Act, POCSO Act.
What to note for Mains?
- Critically examine why child marriage persists despite legal prohibition.
- Discuss the limitations of criminal-law-centric approaches to social practices.
- Analyse the role of education, infrastructure and social norms in delaying marriage.
- Evaluate how ending child marriage is linked to achieving multiple SDGs.
