The minimum age for marriage of girls in India according to the National Population Policy is?

JODHPUR AIIMS SNO-2018

Forensic Nursing & Indian laws

Easy

Appeared in: JODHPUR AIIMS SNO-2018

Explanation

18 years. This is the legally mandated minimum age for marriage for females in India.
The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, explicitly sets the minimum age of marriage for girls at 18 years and for boys at 21 years.
The National Population Policy, 2000, also aimed to promote marriage for girls after the age of 18 to improve health outcomes for both mother and child.
This law is designed to prevent child marriage and mitigate associated risks like early pregnancy, high maternal and infant mortality, and curtailed educational opportunities for girls.

Option B: 22 years is not the current legal minimum age for marriage for girls in India. While there have been public discussions and proposals to raise the age, no law has been enacted to set it at 22.
Option C: 20 years is not the legal minimum age. The National Population Policy, 2000, did encourage marriage for girls preferably after 20 years, but the legal minimum remains 18.
Option D: 16 years is an outdated figure. The legal age was raised from 15 to 18 years by the Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Act in 1978. Marriage at 16 is illegal and considered a child marriage under current law.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain The question tests the knowledge of the legal minimum age for marriage for girls in India as per national laws and policies as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Community health nurses play a crucial role in educating communities about the legal age of marriage and the health risks of early marriage, including higher rates of maternal and infant mortality, malnutrition, and obstetric complications.
Nurses are responsible for counseling adolescent girls and their families on reproductive health, contraception, and the importance of completing education before marriage to ensure better life outcomes.
What if? If a 17-year-old married girl presents at a clinic for antenatal care, the nurse's priority is to provide necessary medical care. However, the nurse also has an ethical and legal responsibility to follow local protocols for reporting child marriage to the appropriate authorities (e.g., Child Marriage Prohibition Officer) to safeguard the girl's rights and well-being.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question, which asks for the legal minimum age of marriage for girls in India.
Recognize this as a factual recall question based on Indian law and public health policy.
Scan the given options: 18, 22, 20, and 16 years.
Recall the key legislation, The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, which sets the legal standards.
Eliminate the incorrect options. 16 years is an outdated age from previous laws. 20 and 22 years are not the legally established minimum ages, although higher ages are sometimes encouraged for health reasons.
Select 18 years as the correct answer, as it is the current legal minimum age for marriage for females in India.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: The question tests the knowledge of the legal minimum age for marriage for girls in India as per national laws and policies.
Stem keywords: minimum age, marriage, girls, India, National Population Policy
Lead-in keywords: is
Negative lead-in flag: false

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