What is the legal age for a girl's marriage according to Indian law?

Appeared in: MP CHO-2020

Explanation

According to the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006, the legal minimum age for a girl to marry in India is 18 years.
This law was enacted to prevent child marriages and protect the health, rights, and well-being of minors.
Any marriage where the bride is below 18 years of age is considered a child marriage and is legally voidable at the option of the minor.

Option A: Marrying a girl at 15 years of age is illegal and constitutes a child marriage under the PCMA, 2006.
Option C: This is the legal minimum age of marriage for boys in India, not for girls.
Option D: This age has no legal significance regarding the minimum age of marriage in Indian law.

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 play a vital role in preventing child marriage by educating families about the legal age and the severe health risks associated with early pregnancy and childbirth, such as increased maternal and infant mortality.
Nurses are often in a position to identify potential child marriages. They have a professional and ethical duty to counsel the family and report suspected cases to authorities like Childline (1098) or the district's Child Marriage Prohibition Officer (CMPO).
What if? If a proposed bill to raise the marriage age for women to 21 becomes law, nurses would need to update their community education to reflect the new legal standard of 21 for both men and women.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question based on Indian law relevant to community health.
Identify the key terms in the question: 'legal age', 'girl's marriage', and 'Indian law'.
Recall the specific legislation governing child marriage in India, which is the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006.
Remember the distinct minimum ages set by this act for girls and boys.
Differentiate between the age for girls (18 years) and the age for boys (21 years).
Select the option that correctly states the legal age for girls.

Concept Tested & Keywords

QET_ACAktAKO1qyUMXFLv_

E6 Midwifery Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing Sandeep Kaur p. 65-81

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart C (pp 404-604 of 604) p. 182-184

Practise the full MP CHO-2020

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.