Lokniti CSDS Youth studies in 2016 and 2017 reports its finding on marriage trends. The Findings of the report:
The report found that compared to a decade ago, youth are marrying later in life.
The proportion of married youth decreased by eight percentage points from 55% in 2007 to 47% in 2016.
Educational attainment is an important factor associated with decline in proportion of married youth.
In the age of online dating, growth of social networking and matrimonial sites, arranged marriages is still a preferred choice, with only 6% reporting self choice in marriage.
The report also quoted Data from a recent study-‘Politics and society between election’- showing a change in attitude, if not practice-with 72% supporting the women’s say in when to get married and 74% in whom to worry.
There has been an attitudinal shift in the importance of marriage with 5 in 10 youth saying it is important to get married, down from 8 in 10 from a decade earlier.
There is an upward trend in acceptance of inter caste marriage from 31% in 2007 to 56% in 2016.
However, in practice, very few among the married youth have opted for inter caste (4%) and inter religious marriages (4%).
Youth are marrying late, but the institution of arranged marriage is still intact. Marrying across caste and religion has still not gained widespread acceptance. Hence, attitudes to marriage remain largely within boundaries of traditional thinking. Sociology of Indian marriages:
K.M Kapadia in a study conducted in 1982, revealed that more than 50% parents expressed their willingness to allow their children to marry outside their caste. Hence, he believes that intercaste marriages are slowly gaining acceptance.
S.Afzal in his 2009 study writes that the economic condition of the women is an important determinant in this matter as working women are more likely to have inter caste marriages than non working women in Punjab.
J Cadwell in his study of ‘ Marriage changes in South India’ writes that the increase in educational attainment among women led to crumbling of the traditional system of matrimonial arrangement in India which had the effect in form of raising the overall age of marriage and greater autonomy in choice of spouse.
Divorce is increasing in India and across the globe. In agro based states like Punjab and Haryana, there has been an increase of 150% and in Kerala, the most literate state of India, there has been an increase of 350%.