Understanding the married life among youth in India

Rapid global changes including urbanization migration increasing educational opportunities and technological advancement have its ramifications on the institution of marriage all over the world and India also has not remained segregated from these changes. However in India traditional values and norms are still playing a vital role in marriage process such as age at marriage process of mate selection dowry practice status of bride in family violence in marital life etc. The broad objective of the study is to understand the various dimensions of married life among young married men and women of selected states. Data for this study has been taken from “The Youth in India: Situation and Needs” survey conducted during 2006-2007. Arrange marriage is the most preferred form of marriage across all the selected states. Except for the states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu handful youth in less developed states were aware about their would-be spouse before marriage. Better economic condition level of education and mother’s education and especially education of married women appeared as significant and positive determinants on interaction with spouse before marriage.