The Law Commission's suggestion to bring both boys and girls marriageable age to 18 has brought mixed response considering the present socio-economic scenario. I am neither 18 nor 21 but I have to think before marriage as it is not only adds more responsibility but gives a new dimension to your life with a partner that you need to be with him/her till the end with due diligence.
Coming back to the sole purpose of the article whether Law Commission’s proposal stands justifiable or not? On one hand the proposal to prohibit marriage below 18 years for both boys and girls and marriage between 16 and 18 as voidable is a right step forward as it will certainly lower the child marriages in rural areas but on the other side a marriage age for boy at 18 can’t be consider as good as at this age he is not able to complete a decent education and lead a life of dignity.
It is essential to consider the socio-economic factor of the rural poor that compel them to marry their girls at a lower age. For this the exact need is to create a better structure of economic opportunities and health care facilities in rural areas. Only lowering a marriage age will not erase the sole problem of the society.
Dose not a lower marriage age at 18 endorse child marriage considering the universal practice of boy marrying a lesser age girl? Isn’t it important for girls and boys to be both physically and mentally mature? Taking these into account I don’t think 18-year is the ideal number; instead men should think of marriage at 24 and women at 21.
After all one should have a minimum educational qualification to understand each other’s views on marriage and most importantly a better qualification to be self dependent or economically self-reliant to run a smooth life. In our society where marriage is considered as a covenant with God it becomes liable to be committed to other forever though in many cases it doesn’t.
In a society where highly educated persons don’t stand their partner’s expectations or face their own responsibility then how come one expect a 18 year boy who is still in his school or college be able to understand his duty and respect the responsibility.
In metropolitan cities most people marry when they ‘feel right’ in view of their financial independence or after getting a right admiring partner. However, one can have different opinion regarding marriage as some thinks that an early age on 20’s is the right one as romance at its peak and the feeling of love makes a relation more stronger but again nothing is forever.
As one of my friend suggested me that I should marry a bit early by justifying her case that at her age (30-32) the excitement somehow got lower with age. She said,
“I feel u should get marry a bit early..in my case I am not excited but because my own thinking and perception has got a definite shape now, and with an apprehensive mind I am entering this new world..full of doubts that if in any case I will fail in other’s expectation. Loving and accepting somebody as they are is a difficult task at this age.”
In the end what it seems is that a defined marriageable age does not come as a mantra for successful marriage, but somehow it depends on understanding and strong values we get during the various stage of our growth period. My friend who is apprehensive might not gel with other’s view who don’t have any set age for marriage. But no doubt there may be scientific reasons but I feel that we are back to square one, the pace at which the world is changing will one day accept child marriage too.
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