Young women opt to marry before 25

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If you think marriage isn’t a priority for the career-oriented modern women, these statistics will change your mind. A recent survey by online matrimonial portal Jeevansathi.com states “women prefer getting married before they turn 25.”

The survey said, Tamil Nadu had registered the maximum increase of 19 per cent in the last two years followed by Delhi, which had witnessed a 14 per cent increase — from 32 per cent in 2010 to 46 per cent in 2012. With families being more supportive to their working bahus and men turning more liberal, many want to tie the knot and enjoy married life before they get too old.
Public relations professional Veta asserts that a wedding is no longer a hurdle in one’s career, which is why many are willing to take the plunge. “Today, girls want to marry soon because they want to settle down. Gone are the days when families were looking for housewives, now they all want women who are working. Lifestyles of men and women are also the same unlike a few years ago. Now we all have our respective circle of friends and hang out on weekends, party and so there is no bar for girls as such,” she says.
For others, early or late doesn’t really decide the fate of the marriage. “I was married at 23. It was an independent decision. My parents-in-law encouraged me to study further. I completed my Masters from JNU after getting married and scored quite well. At present I’m preparing for the civil services. Families are much more broad-minded and supportive today, and possibly this is why many women choose to marry early as they can still pursue their dreams and marriage definitely brings stability on the personal front,” says Sumati Makhija, an IAS aspirant.
Some lovebirds who take up the decision to “settle down” early, often do it under pressure from their parents. For someone who married eight months ago, Ria Kapoor (name changed on request) was only 23 when she walked down the aisle. “It was a perfect setting, both of us dated for over five years, were professionally settled, and so our parents pushed for an early wedding. I regret the decision now. After living in a hostel for almost five years, it’s difficult to live in a family setting and play the ‘bahu’. Also, being an M.Sc. economics student, I think I could have invested in my career a bit more. Seeing my contemporaries getting good jobs and even pursuing Ph.Ds makes me want to go back in time and change a few things,” she tells us.
Vidhi Arora, an HR consultant says that most girls opt for early marriages just because there are plenty of good options available at that age. “I am 24 and my mom thinks there will be very few options after I’m 26. Even though many girls want to get married late, men still prefer younger women. For instance, at 29, I will have to look at someone who is 30-31 but men want to marry women much younger. So getting married late leaves you with fewer options. So, if you really want to get married, why not early?” she questions.