Society · 12 Oct 2026

child marriage laws in India

Consider the following legislative developments relating to child marriage in India:

  1. Creation of dedicated Child Marriage Prohibition Officers
  2. Fixing of a minimum age of marriage for the first time through the Sarda Act
  3. Raising of the age of consent for girls to 12 years
  4. Raising of the minimum age of marriage for girls to 18 years
A2 - 3 - 4 - 1
B3 - 2 - 4 - 1
C3 - 4 - 2 - 1
D2 - 3 - 1 - 4
This question is based on: Stopping the Wedding Is Not Saving the Childhood: Telangana's Unfinished Fight Against Child Marriage
Take this in full test mode → Instructions for 12 Oct 2026
About this question

Why in news

A ground report shows Telangana's share of women aged 20-24 married before 18 fell from 23.5% (NFHS-5) to 17.9% (NFHS-6). Most rescues still happen at the last minute and 777 of the children identified had already left school.

Why for UPSC

UPSC frequently tests the sequence of colonial and post-independence social reform laws and the shifting age thresholds in particular.

Prelims summary

The legal age has moved in stages: age of consent at 12 (1891), a minimum marriage age of 14 for girls (Sarda Act, 1929), 18 for girls (1978) and finally the PCMA, 2006, with prohibition officers and voidable marriages.

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