Minimum legal age of marriage for girls in India?

Appeared in: AIIMS Raipur NO - 2019 (Shift-2)

Explanation

The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, is the current law governing the minimum age for marriage in India.
According to this Act, the minimum legal age for a girl to marry is 18 years.
For boys, the minimum legal age for marriage is set at 21 years.
This legislation was enacted to prevent child marriages and safeguard children from the associated health risks and social disadvantages.

Option A: Marrying at 14 years is illegal and constitutes a child marriage under Indian law. This age falls significantly below the legally mandated minimum.
Option B: While the age of sexual consent was previously 16, the legal age for marriage for girls has been 18 since the Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1978, which was later replaced by the 2006 Act.
Option D: 20 years is not the correct legal minimum age for marriage for girls. The correct age is 18 years. The legal age for boys is 21 years.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Legal age of marriage in India as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Community health nurses have a vital role in educating communities about the legal age of marriage and the severe health consequences of early pregnancy, such as increased maternal/infant mortality, malnutrition, and obstetric fistula.
Nurses are mandated reporters. They must be able to identify and report suspected cases of child marriage to authorities like Childline (1098) or the District Child Protection Unit to safeguard the minor.
During antenatal care, if a nurse encounters a pregnant girl below 18, it is a medico-legal case. The nurse must provide compassionate care while also fulfilling the legal duty to report the child marriage.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question based on Indian law.
Identify the key terms in the question: 'minimum legal age', 'marriage', 'girls', and 'India'.
Recall the specific legislation governing this, which is The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.
Remember the specific ages set by this act: 18 years for girls and 21 years for boys.
Scan the options and select the one that matches the legal age for girls.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 2 — Subpart A (pp 1-232 of 464) p. 91-93

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