New Delhi - The issue of marriage age for men and women is set to be revisited by a Parliamentary Standing Committee next week, following the lapse of a significant bill aimed at standardizing this matter with the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha. On November 22, the committee will convene to hear testimonies from key officials, including the secretary of the Women and Child Development Ministry (WCD) and representatives from the National Coalition Advocating for Adolescent Concerns (NCAAC) and the Young Voices Campaign. The discussion will focus on proposed changes to the marriage age for children, alongside other legislation related to women's rights. The committee, which focuses on education, women, children, youth, and sports, is chaired by Congress MP Digvijaya Singh.
The agenda will also include a review of the functioning of various statutory and autonomous bodies such as the National Commission for Women, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, the Central Adoption Resource Authority, and the National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development. The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, introduced in December 2021, sought to amend the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, by raising the minimum marriage age for females from 18 to 21 years. The bill, which received multiple extensions, ultimately lapsed with the dissolution of the Lok Sabha. Despite the bill's expiration, a senior member of the panel stated that there are no restrictions preventing the committee from addressing the issue.
"There is no bar on taking up the issue," they noted. Under current legislation, individuals who marry below the legal age can apply for annulment within two years of reaching adulthood (before turning 20). The proposed amendment would extend this period to five years, allowing for annulment until the age of 23. In addition to discussing marriage age, the committee will also hold a meeting on November 21 to address the New Education Policy (NEP) and its implications for school education. Officials from the Department of School Education and Literacy will present updates on various educational schemes, including the Samagra Siksha Abhiyan, and the performance of autonomous bodies such as the NCERT, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS).
The NEP, implemented in 2020, marks a significant shift from the previous National Policy on Education of 1986, emphasizing mother tongue instruction up to Grade five and recommending its continuation through Grade eight and beyond. As the Parliamentary Standing Committee embarks on these important discussions, the outcomes could have lasting effects on both the legal framework surrounding marriage and the future of education in India.