Casteism, Dowry, Celebrity Influence: Why Large Proportion Of J&K Youth Are Single Despite Crossing Marriageable Age?

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'Casteism, Dowry, Celebrity Influence': Why Large Proportion Of J&K Youth Are Single Despite Crossing Marriageable Age?

According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation's 'Youth in India 2022' study, Jammu and Kashmir has the highest percentage share of youth who never married followed by Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Punjab.

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A new government survey has revealed that Jammu and Kashmir have the highest proportion of unmarried people between the age group of 15 to 29 years among all states and union territories. Significantly, the trend is common among men as well as women.

The National Youth Policy 2014 classifies persons between the ages of 15 and 29 as "youth".

According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation's 'Youth in India 2022' study, Jammu and Kashmir have the highest percentage share of youth who never married, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Punjab. The lowest percentage of unmarried youth was observed in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, The Hindu Business Line reported.

"The percentage of youth (15-29 years) who are never married has shown an increasing trend in men from 20.8 per cent in 2011 to 26.1 per cent in 2019. A similar trend has been observed in women," the report showed.

The Social Statistic Division of the National Statistical Office (NSO) under the Statistics Ministry has prepared the report using published official data from different ministries and departments.

Although the report does not detail any specific reasons for this trend, government officials and sociologists attributed it to dowry, economic constraints, casteism, and celebrity influence.

Financial Constraints

As per the local media, sociologists in Kashmir noticed that the average marriageable age in the valley has increased over the last few decades, the main reason being the financial constraint. They believe that an average marriage function in Kashmir costs more than Rs 10 lakh, which many can't afford.

Dowry And Casteism

Social problems like dowry and casteism have equally contributed to the late marriage in Kashmir. People prefer marrying their son or daughter in their caste, which is also challenging for them. Dowry is still persistent in and has not witnessed an end despite efforts by the administration.

Recently, a Kashmir-based NGO has revealed that around 50,000 women in Kashmir have crossed the marriageable age owing to societal rituals.

Celebrity Influence

"Not getting married or becoming a single parent is considered woke. It signifies a modern lifestyle. The mindset is prevalent in mid and smaller cities also. In addition, some celebrities, when they say they are not going to marry, influence young minds," an official told The Hindu Business Line.

Interestingly, this development occurred when the sex ratio of the total population (females per 1,000 males) went up to 1020 in the 5th round of the National Family Health Survey from 991 in the previous round.

According to officials, many states recorded an improvement in the ratio, so this cannot be a factor in people not finding life partners.

The report stated that India's population, which reached 1211 million in 2011 and is projected to reach 1363 million in 2021, was one of the youngest worldwide, with 27.3 per cent of its population aged 15–29 years. Between 2011 and 2036, the country's population pyramid will shift because of declining fertility and increasing life expectancy.

While the proportion of the population aged under 15 years is projected to decrease, the older population is expected to rise. The youth population is expected to surge initially but will decline in the latter half of 2011-2036.

The report said that the total youth population increased from 222.7 million in 1991 to 333.4 million in 2011 and was projected to reach 371.4 million by 2021 and decrease to 345.5 million by 2036.

The upside is that India continues to be a very young country. It is home to a fifth of the world's youth demographic. This population advantage could play a crucial role in achieving the nation's ambitious target to become a $5 trillion economy.

Also Read: In A First, Digital News To Be Regulated In Amended Law; Violators To Face Action

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