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Health and practical concerns raised

Wedding: New concerns

Setting the minimum age limit for marriage at 18 and 21 for girls and boys respectively was done in a context when the geometrical growth of the country’s population and the disturbing scenario of emaciated women at a tender age had disturbed the law makers during the post-emergency period. That the pestering problem could not be solved in its entirety in spite of the law is another fact. It continues to exist in the lower levels of society where boys are viewed as an asset while girls are despised as a burden to be disposed off as early as possible. Though marriages compound their financial problems, they are eager to marry the girls off as early as possible. It is a way out from the pestering mental agony. Lowering the minimum age for marriage of boys from 21 to 18 does not serve the vital interest of the nation when viewed in the larger context specified above.

T.P. Sreedharan

Panoor

Neither biological urge for sex nor the eligibility of adult franchise qualifies a lad of 18 to enter into wedlock. What exactly prompted the Law Commission to recommend minimising the age limit to 18 for males remains a mystery! General opinion and common sense that a man attains the capacity and maturity for marriage in the mid 20’s cannot be questioned. 18 is an age for a child to learn many things from college and outside to meet the challenges of life in future.

It is cruel on the part of ‘judicial prudence’ to make a lad of 20 anxious to hear the first cry of his baby waiting in the veranda of a maternity ward! Let the would-be grooms have time for some experience to face the highly competitive and complex world to lead a happy married life we often wish them at the time of their marriage.

A.K. Jayarajan

Kozhikode

Bringing down the age of marriage for boys is likely to have a major impact on demography, especially with regard to adolescent fertility and reproductive health due to early marriage.

This age is classified as adolescence by the WHO/UN. Moreover, many adolescents in our country lack formal or informal education and many suffer from malnutrition and anaemia and sexually transmitted infections. Many studies have brought to light that adolescent marriage and early child-bearing contribute to a wide difference in mortality rates in adolescent females and males.

Let us first concentrate on developing healthy adolescents by addressing their unmet needs regarding education, nutrition, reproductive health, mental health and recognising their individual skills.

Swiftly changing global conditions are placing a great strain on the adolescents, modifying their behaviour and relationships and exacerbating their health problems.

Let us invest resources in adolescents which is a sound economic, socio-political and public health strategy, and also cost-effective in the long run, instead of making them young husbands and fathers.

S. Chidambaranath

Kalpetta

The thought of implementing this proposal itself is disgusting. Reforming the laws is necessary, but this is not acceptable.

A boy of 18 years usually would be completing his secondary school education. It is his childhood and he would not be perfectly fit to take the responsibility of a family. If this law is implemented we will surely turn back to our pre-modern days. Boys may not even be employed at this age. They will be pre-occupied with marital responsibilities without a planned future and struggling to succeed in life. Then there is no difference between child marriage and the proposed marriage policy.

Dilna E. Devadas

Palakkad

It is true that uniformity is necessary in all cases in a reasonable way in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution and in the interest of the public. The next question that arises is what is reasonable? A young boy matures and possess’ minimum educational qualification only by the age of 21. It is pertinent to note that when a practice or a system has been followed for several years that practice or system cannot be disturbed. Lowering the age of men to 18 is equal to encouraging child marriage

P. Subhayyan

Palakkad

Lowering the minimum age of couples would cause immaturity, both in mental and physical activities, with a resultant lack of seriousness to face the harsh realities of life. It might eventually become another form of child marriage. If we recall the facts prevailing in 1950s, our population then was more or less one-third of the present figure. The ever-growing population and consequent exhaustion of resources has become a crisis now. In such a situation, we cannot imagine further growth of population owing to lowering of minimum marriageable age.

K.K. Kunhikannan

Koyilandy

More than lowering the marriageable age, the flaw is in the almost identical threshold of male and female eligibility. That runs counter to the sensible practice across many different societies and cultures worldwide of the male being senior to the female in a marriage. The custom has been continuing for biological, social, economic and psychological reasons, which no law can ignore or overtake.

The Law Commission may see merits in its idea, but it should see more of them, dictated by commonsense, which is: if a margin or interval is curtailed, it is prone to unhealthy pressure building up within.

Modern lifestyles, food varieties and consumption habits do hasten biological maturity, but not, as the reality everywhere shows, the emotional or psychological kind, which, in a marriage, is more important.

Devraj Sambasivan

Alappuzha

The Law Commission has committed a mistake in proposing to reduce the minimum age for marriage of boys to 18 from the present 21. It is high time that the minimum age of girls be increased to 21, as doctors advise not to become pregnant before the age of 21. This will affect their health as childhood features will not be outgrown by the age of 18. Why does the Law Commission not suggest increasing the minimum age of girls to 21, and that of boys to 24?

It is true that at the age of 18, one becomes major and has the power to vote. But this is not the case in a marriage. Usually, by the age of 19, he becomes a father and a family’s responsibility is on his shoulders. At present, the chances of acquiring a job at the age of 18 are also low. How can he lead a family without a job?

There is at least a 50 per cent increase in chances of divorce and family problems if the marriage time is fixed at 18.

S.N. Thiruvazhiode

Poonithura

There is no crying need in the society to reduce the marriageable age of boys to 18 from 21. Maybe the Law Commission should start mulling about an upper age limit in these days of increased longevity. Boys rushing to tie the knot at 21 are now very rare. Marriages are not tied with age any longer. These rules were relevant when elders decided on the marriage of their sons. But today, more than the elders’ opinion, stability in life, earnings and circumstantial responsibilities have a say in taking the decision. With personal law existing in this country being quite different for various sects and religions, age of marriage, if fixed, will have to be changed according to the privileges granted by personal laws.

M. Ramankutty

Thripunithura

Many a times, age is not maturity and emotional maturity in the Indian social milieu does not dawn at 18, especially for boys. Educationally, socially and emotionally, a boy at 18 is ill-equipped to shoulder the responsibilities of marriage. He would have just completed his higher secondary education and will take at least four more years to land a decent job, after which he can start thinking about a family life. And this is only the case of well-to-do urban or middle-class Indians, who constitute a fragment of the populace. For the other section, life is just fighting at that age. Also, this so-called gender disparity is not without logic as nature has provided men and women with different levels of emotional quotient. In fact, it is not disparity per se and is actually the time to evolve oneself as a complete individual. The Law Commission states that its proposal is primarily aimed at curbing child marriages. Lowering the age bar alone will not help to bring down child marriages. On the other hand, child marriage is a customary refuge of people who are in the middle of teething poverty, ignorance and deprivation. In fact, raising the bar to 21 for both boys and girls would be a better option, given the educational and employment opportunities in the country.

Seema Sarath

Kidangoor

For centuries, our society looked upon husband as the only earning member of the family. That may be one of the reasons for fixing 21 years as the minimum age of marriage for boys and 18, for girls. Now, if a boy of 18 marries a girl of 18 or 20, how will they run a family? What job would he or she get at such a young age? It would be better to raise the minimum age of marriage for girls from 18 to 21 rather than to reduce the minimum age for boys. Such a decision can also remove the disparity that exists now, can’t it? The implementation of the proposal would only encourage young lovers to hasty marriages. A youth would definitely be more mature at 21 than he/she was at 18.

Lekshmi Vallabhassery

Kottayam

If the Law Commission’s recommendations are accepted, the standard of higher education would definitely come down, the rate of dowry and divorce would increase and our wards would be pushed behind globally in most competitive fields, affecting our economy.

A sensible boy would seriously think of marriage only after making sure that he can support, at least, his wife. A boy at the age of 17/18 would just be out of school, and, in most cases, would aspire for higher studies, to make him eligible to get a job. Optimistically, a bright student can aspire to get a handsome salary only at the age of 20/21, which can meet most of his financial desires.

It may be recalled that Senator Barack Obama had stressed the need for an education system that enables their children to compete with those from India and China. Does it not imply that our present policies and systems are giving us the rewards?

It must be borne in mind that Indians, living in moderate climates, are more fertile. Our elders believed that Brahmacharya should be observed till education is completed. Considering all these facts, we can either choose to accept the recommendations and perish due to the dreadful consequences of an increase in population.

K.V. Mallan

Kochi

The pathetic state of women and deterioration of morality in family life have retarded our society. Though dowry was abolished by law, it could not be eradicated from society and conflicts on these issues are proving that educational achievements are not parameters of moral development. The increasing number of suicides and divorces is become a symbol of Kerala. Considering these facts, lowering the legal age of marriage from 21 to 18 may increase the momentum of the deviation from the traditions of our society. 18 is the age dedicated to education and evolving ones personality.

It requires at least 20 years of age to acquire a degree or other equivalent certificates. Though one acquires income or amenities during this stage, his mind may not be mature enough for the realities of married life.

C.R. Sajeev

Kannur

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