Article Title :
Nuptiality Status in West Bengal: A Demographic Appraisal
5 (2021)
33-41
Women , Women Studies , West Bengal , Singulated mean age at marriage , Marriage rate , Marriage probability , Child Marriage
The present study deals with nuptiality pattern, probability of marriage and age at first marriage in different districts of West Bengal (India). The crude marriage rate was higher in Hugli district, while East Mednipur occupied top position in different district of West Bengal with regarding to general marriage rate. Hajnal’s Singulated Mean Age at Marriage (SMAM) was used to find out the mean age at marriage and marriage probability was estimated by construction of nuptiality table based on the census data (2011). The study revealed that the SMAM is 23 years in the state, while Murshidabad constitutes lower SMAM (21.7 years). The study also found that the marriage probability was 5 times higher among females (10-14 years) as compared to males. Awareness should be increased to reduce the harmful effects of marriage at a lower age. Policy makers and government should pay special attention to rural and marginalized communities by providing them economic benefits.
Darjeeling has the highest percentage of divorced and separated population in 2011.
The marriage probability among females aged 10-14 years is 5 times higher than the males that indicate the higher prevalence of child marriage among girls.
13 districts have below 20 years SMAM in West Bengal.
A range of policy and programmatic actions are needed by providing incentives among stakeholders to reduce the harmful practice of early marriage.
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