Proportion of unmarried youth rising, finds govt survey
New Delhi, Jul 14: The proportion of unmarried persons within the age bracket of 15-29 years has increased to 23 per cent in 2019 from 17.2 per cent in 2011, according to a government survey.
As per the National Youth Policy 2014, those aged 15 to 29 years are classified as youth.
The latest report of the National Statistical Office stated that the percentage share of the youth population (15-29 years) who are never married has shown an increasing trend in the male population from 20.8 per cent in 2011 to 26.1 per cent in 2019 and similar trend has been observed in case of the female population.
The proportion of unmarried females rose from 13.5 per cent in 2011 to 19.9 per cent.
In 2019, the highest percentage share of youth population who are never married have been observed in the States/UTs of Jammu & Kashmir followed by Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Punjab and the lowest have been observed in the States/UTs of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, it stated.
However, the report did not attribute any reason for rising in the proportion of unmarried youth.
It stated that early marriage in India has been declining over time.
The data showed that among the adolescent women (15-19 years), 1.7 per cent of women have been first married by the age of 15 years during 2019-21 as compared to 11.9 per cent in 2005-06.
Age at marriage also seems to have increased over the years. A significant reduction has been observed in the level of age at first marriage for women in the 25-29 years age cohort as only 52.8 per cent of women have been first married by the age of 20 years during 2019-2021 as compared to 72.4 per cent in 2005-06, it stated.
Men tend to marry considerably later than women in India since 42.9 per cent of males in the 25-29 years age cohort were first married by the age of 25 years in 2019-21. This percentage was almost double at 83 per cent for females. The percentage of the population who never married also has increased among both males and females in all age groups over the years.
The median age at first marriage increased steadily from 17.4 years in 2005-06 to 19.7 years in 2019-21 for women in the 25-29 age cohort.
A similar trend has also been observed for the median age at first cohabitation in the same age cohort during the same period.
It showed that the more educated the woman is, the higher the median age at first marriage, with the median among women aged 25-29 who have completed 12 or more years of education exceeding the median age among women having no schooling by 5.5 years during 2019-21.
Further, one good thing is the median age at marriage has increased by two years for women with no schooling and by 1.2 years for those who have not even completed their primary education during this period, it stated.
The percentage of women aged 20-24 years married before age 18 years in the country has halved in the last 15 years from 47 per cent in 2005-2006 to 23 per cent in 2019-21. Similarly, teenage pregnancy and motherhood have declined from 16 per cent to 7 per cent during the same period, it stated.
India's population, which reached 1,211 million in 2011 and is projected to reach 1,363 million in 2021 makes India one of the youngest countries in the world, with 27.3 per cent of its population aged 15 29 years, i.e., youth (Report of Technical Group on Population Projections for India and States 2011-2036, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare), it stated.
In terms of absolute numbers, between 2011 and 2036, because of the declining fertility and increasing life expectancy, the population pyramid of the country will undergo a shift, it stated.
While the proportion of the population aged under 15 years is projected to decline, the elderly in the population is expected to increase, it also stated.
However, it stated that the youth population is expected to increase initially but will start to decline in the latter half of the 2011-2036 period.
The total youth population increased from 222.7 Million in 1991 to 333.4 Million in 2011 and is projected to reach 371.4 Million by 2021 and thereafter decrease to 345.5 million by 2036, it said.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
