Two Lakh Child Marriages Prevented in One Year — Government Claim

The Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) has reported a significant achievement: nearly two lakh child marriages were prevented across India in the last year. This figure reflects the combined impact of strengthened digital reporting mechanisms, robust community vigilance, and inter-departmental coordination. The government attributes the progress largely to the enhanced functioning of the Childline 1098 helpline, district-level child protection units, and the proactive role of panchayats, anganwadi workers, and school teachers who are increasingly trained to identify early warning signs.

According to the ministry, real-time reporting through Pradhan Mantri POSHAN, Mission Vatsalya, and local monitoring systems has enabled authorities to intervene swiftly when families attempt to marry off minors, especially girls. States with historically high prevalence — including Rajasthan, Bihar, West Bengal, and Telangana — have seen targeted campaigns focusing on adolescent education, menstrual hygiene, nutrition, and community counselling, which collectively address the socio-economic factors driving child marriage.

Officials also emphasise the role of awareness campaigns that focus on parents, reinforcing the legal consequences under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006, while highlighting the long-term health and educational disadvantages for girls forced into early marriage. Civil society organisations and women’s self-help groups remain critical partners, amplifying government interventions at the community level and ensuring that cases do not go unnoticed.

Despite this progress, the ministry acknowledges that child marriage persists, particularly in rural and economically weaker regions where poverty, gender discrimination, and lack of schooling opportunities remain entrenched. Experts argue that while prevention figures are encouraging, India must strengthen follow-up support for rescued children, ensure their continued education, and improve legal prosecution to create lasting deterrence. The government maintains that sustained intervention, combined with digital governance tools and community participation, will be central to achieving the national goal of eliminating child marriage by 2030.