Arranged Marriage Trends
Arranged marriage in India is the practice that families choose their child’s spouse for them based upon many factors (see previous Family Life in India page). Though now arranged marriage has been modernized, so potential spouse’s thoughts are taken into consideration. There are many trends and statistics that support arranged marriages in India, and a few trends that oppose arranged marriages.
Arranged Marriages in India: Supporting Trends
There are many apparent trends that support arranged marriage in India. Some of them are:
- Divorce rate for arranged marriages in India stands at 1.1%, while the divorce rate in the United States is around 50% (Divorce: India vs. United States)
- Global rate of divorces for arranged marriages is at 6%
- Almost 76% Indian prefer Arranged marriages (What Statistics say about Arranged Marriage)
- Built on a similar set of morals and beliefs
- 98.3% of people surveyed rated their arranged relationships as positive while 1.7% rated them as negative (Study of Relationship Quality in India )
These many positive trends in the arranged marriage system in India that support the concept of arranged marriage. Arranged marriages in India have a very low divorce rate which shows marriage satisfaction must be high (Divorce in India ). The reason for this is because arranged marriages are a relationship built on a foundation of the same beliefs and morals, each spouse never expected to completely fall “in love” with each other but to get along and be happy in their marriage. Also, surveys taken in India have shown that the majority of people in India would prefer an arranged marriage.
Arranged Marriages in India: Opposing Trends
- The decision is not for only the potential bride/groom to make, but the family’s as well
- 2 out of 3 girls getting married as a teen in industrialized or westernized nations
- It is common for a family to disown their child if a divorce occurs
- There is less freedom in choosing a spouse
These many negative trends oppose arranged marriages in India (What Statistics say about Arranged Marriage ). A bride/groom has to live with member’s of their family choosing their spouse, sometimes with little to no say. Another very common trend, is the trend of girls getting married very young, which is keeping girls to be ready for marriage before they are being married off. Also, since divorce is very much frowned upon in Indian culture and children have to live with the fact that their parents might disown them if they get a divorce, then this might effect them in a relationship. It is possible that people are terrified to be disowned by their families, so they stay in harmful and unhealthy relationships.
Arranged Marriages in India 