Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat
Source: PIB
GS I: Society; GS II: Government Policies and Interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Overview
- Child marriage in India has declined, but it remains a concern due to social customs, poverty, gender discrimination and limited access to education.
- The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 provides the legal framework, while Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs) support prevention and enforcement.
- The Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign, launched in November 2024, promotes awareness, community participation and reporting, with priority given to high-burden districts.
- Achieving a child-marriage-free India by 2030 requires stronger law enforcement, girls’ education, institutional coordination and sustained community action.
Why in the News?
The Ministry of Women and Child Development‘s Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat (BVMB) campaign, launched on 27 November 2024, completes two years in November 2026.
News in Brief
- The prevalence of child marriage declined by 3.2 percentage points between NFHS-5 and NFHS-6.
- The Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign has conducted 6.85 lakh awareness programmes, reaching 12.47 crore participants.
- A total of 42.01 lakh pledges have been registered to support a child-marriage-free India.
- The campaign prioritizes 257 high-burden districts and aims to achieve its national target by 2030, in line with SDG Target 5.3.
Child Marriage in India
- Child marriage refers to a marriage in which either of the contracting parties is below the legally prescribed age.
According to NFHS-6 (2023–24):
- 20.1% of women aged 20–24 years were married before completing 18 years.
- This represents a decline from 23.3% in NFHS-5 (2019–21).
- Despite the decline, child marriage remains a persistent social challenge in India.
Consequences of Child Marriage;
- Health risks: Early pregnancy increases the risk of maternal and child health complications.
- Educational disruption: Girls are often forced to discontinue their education.
- Gender inequality: Early marriage restricts women’s autonomy and opportunities.
- Economic vulnerability: It perpetuates poverty and increases vulnerability to domestic violence.
Legal Framework- Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006
- The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006, provides the statutory framework to prevent and penalize child marriage.
- It replaced the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929 (Sarda Act), shifting the approach from merely restraining child marriage to prohibiting it.
Key Provisions
- Definition of a Child
- Male: A person who has not completed 21 years of age.
- Female: A person who has not completed 18 years of age.
- A marriage is considered a child marriage if either contracting party is a child.
- Status of Child Marriage
- A child marriage is generally voidable at the option of the party who was a child at the time of marriage.
- The affected party can approach the District Court, generally within two years of attaining majority.
- Marriage is void in specified circumstances, including trafficking, force, deceit or use for immoral purposes.
- Offences and Penalties
- Offences under the Act are cognizable and non-bailable.
- An adult male marrying a child and persons who solemnise, promote, facilitate or attend such marriages can face rigorous imprisonment of up to two years and/or a fine of up to ₹1 lakh.
- Women offenders are not liable to imprisonment under the Act.
- Relief for Victims
- The Act provides for maintenance and residence arrangements.
- It also provides for custody arrangements for children born out of such marriages.
- Children born from child marriages are considered legitimate.
- Preventive Mechanisms
- Judicial Magistrates can issue injunctions to prevent impending child marriages.
- District Magistrates and local authorities play an important role in preventive intervention, particularly during mass marriage occasions and festivals such as Akshaya Tritiya.
Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs)
- Section 16 of the PCMA empowers State Governments to appoint Child Marriage Prohibition Officers.
- Their responsibilities include;
- Preventing the solemnisation of child marriages.
- Collecting evidence for prosecution.
- Counselling individuals and communities.
- Creating awareness and sensitising communities.
- Maintaining records and submitting periodic reports.
- Supreme Court Directions (2024)
- In Society for Enlightenment and Voluntary Action v. Union of India (18 October 2024), the Supreme Court issued a comprehensive framework for preventing child marriage.
- Key recommendations included:
- Appointment of dedicated, full-time CMPOs at district and sub-district levels.
- Establishment of special units for coordination, monitoring and grievance redressal.
- Conducting multi-sectoral awareness campaigns.
- Training officials and other key functionaries.
- Introducing technology-enabled reporting systems and databases to identify high-risk areas.
- The framework emphasised prevention, protection and empowerment rather than relying only on punishment.
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP)
- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao launched on 22 January 2015, addresses the Child Sex Ratio and promotes the empowerment of girls and women.
- Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Women and Child Development.
- It is a multi-sectoral initiative implemented in collaboration with the Ministries of Health and Family Welfare, Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Minority Affairs.
- It is implemented as a component of Mission Shakti.
Major Focus Areas
- Promoting the survival, protection and education of the girl child.
- Addressing discriminatory social practices.
- Preventing school dropouts.
- Encouraging families to value and educate girls.
- Promoting behavioral change through awareness and community mobilization.
The Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign builds on this foundation by combining legal enforcement with community-level action.
Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Campaign
- The Ministry of Women and Child Development launched the campaign on 27 November 2024.
- Objectives
- Eliminate child marriage through coordinated national efforts.
- Strengthen community-level prevention.
- Improve public access to Child Marriage Prohibition Officers.
- Encourage reporting of child marriage incidents.
- Provide support to girls vulnerable to early marriage.
- Implementation- The campaign brings together;
- Central and State Governments.
- Union Territory administrations.
- Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies.
- Educational institutions and frontline workers.
- Civil society organizations and faith leaders.
- Youth and local communities.
- The Ministry has prioritized 257 high-burden districts identified using NFHS-5 data, where child marriage prevalence is at or above the national average.
- BVMB Portal
- The campaign’s digital platform provides a centralized mechanism for implementation and monitoring.
- Major functional include;
- Providing public access to CMPO details.
- Enabling citizens to report child marriage incidents.
- Recording awareness and community mobilization activities.
- Facilitating online pledges through the portal and MyGov.
- Monitoring campaign progress across States and Union Territories.
100-Day Special Awareness Campaign
- The Ministry launched a 100-Day Intensive Awareness Campaign on 4 December 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
- It was implemented from 27 November 2025 to 8 March 2026 across all States and Union Territories.
- The campaign followed three phases;
| Phase | Period | Focus Group | Key Activities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spell I | 27 November – 31 December 2025 | Schools, colleges and universities | Awareness sessions, debates, essay competitions, interactive activities and pledge ceremonies. |
| Spell II | 1–31 January 2026 | Religious institutions, faith leaders, community influencers and marriage-related service providers | Engagement with places of worship; outreach to caterers, tent houses and DJs; distribution of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials. |
| Spell III | 1 February – 8 March 2026 | Gram Panchayats and Municipal Wards | Community mobilisation and resolutions declaring Panchayat and Ward jurisdictions child-marriage-free. |
Achievements of Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat
The campaign has strengthened awareness, grassroots institutions and community participation in preventing child marriage.
- Awareness and Community Outreach
- Conducted extensive awareness programmes across the country.
- Reached people through educational institutions and community-level mobilisation.
- Strengthening Grassroots Institutions
- Expanded the network of Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs).
- Strengthened preventive mechanisms at the Gram Panchayat level.
- Citizen Participation
- Encouraged citizens, institutions and public representatives to take pledges against child marriage.
- Used the BVMB Portal and MyGov to promote public participation.
- Reporting and Prevention
- Enabled reporting of child marriage incidents through the BVMB Portal.
- Strengthened timely intervention during high-risk periods, including Akshaya Tritiya.
Constitutional Provisions
- Article 14: Equality before law and equal protection of laws.
- Article 15(3): Enables the State to make special provisions for women and children.
- Article 21: Protection of life and personal liberty.
- Article 21A: Right to free and compulsory education for children aged 6–14 years.
- Article 24: Prohibits the employment of children below 14 years in factories, mines and hazardous employment.
- Article 39(f): Directs the State to ensure that children develop in conditions of freedom and dignity and are protected against exploitation.
- Article 45: Provides for early childhood care and education for children below six years.
State-Wise Progress
- According to NFHS -6 (2023-24), most States and Union Territories have recorded a decline in child marriage prevalence compared to NFHS-5.
- The largest improvements were reported in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam, Bihar and Tripura.
- Several States and Union Territories, including Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Mizoram and Keralam, have performed better than the national average.
- However, regional disparities persist, highlighting the need for targeted interventions in areas where child marriage remains prevalent.
Challenges in eliminating Child Marriage
- Despite legal safeguards and governments initiatives, child marriage continues due to deep-rooted social customs, patriarchal attitudes and gender discrimination.
- Poverty and economic insecurity often lead families to marry off girls early, while school dropouts and limited access to secondary education increase their vulnerability.
- Weak enforcement of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and inadequate institutional capacity further hinder prevention efforts.
- Social stigma and fear of reporting discourage victims and families from seeking help.
- Moreover, regional disparities in prevalence highlight the need for locally tailored interventions and stronger community participation.
International Legislation
- Sustainable Development Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
- SDG Target 5.3: Eliminate all harmful practices, including child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation.
- Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), 1989.
- Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), 1979.
Way Forward and Conclusion
Strengthen the implementation of the PCMA through dedicated CMPOs, better institutional coordination and effective monitoring. Ensure girls’ access to education, healthcare and skill development while addressing poverty and gender discrimination. Community participation and targeted interventions in high-prevalence districts are equally important.
The Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign combines legal enforcement with social awareness and community action. Sustained efforts to empower girls and change social attitudes are essential to achieving a child-marriage-free India by 2030.
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