Jodhpur child bride breaks free as court annuls marriage, resumes education

A young woman in Jodhpur has reclaimed her life after a family court annulled a marriage that had been solemnised when she was just 12 years old, a case that highlights both the persistence of child marriage in India and the growing resistance against the practice.

On Thursday, Judge Varun Talwar of the Family Court declared the marriage of Khushboo (name changed) void under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 , noting that child marriage undermines the present and future of children and urging collective action to eliminate the practice.

Khushboo, from the Bishnoi community , was married in 2016 when she was about 12 years old and still in school . She later recalled that she barely understood the ceremony, as community elders arranged the marriage and traditions dictated the decision, leaving her parents little room to object.

As she grew older, she realised she had been bound to a relationship she neither chose nor understood . Matters worsened when pressure from her in-laws to begin conjugal life increased. Determined not to continue in the union, she approached the police and was later connected with social activist Kriti Bharti of Saarthi Trust , who helped her pursue legal action.

With Bharti’s support, Khushboo filed a petition in the family court around 18 months ago seeking annulment. During the hearings, she produced documents proving she was a minor at the time of the marriage . Her in-laws claimed the marriage took place after both parties were adults, but the court rejected the argument.

Bharti said persuading the groom’s family to accept the annulment was difficult, as the issue is often tied to social prestige and entrenched customs . She added that the marriage was linked to the “mausar” (Mrityubhoj) ritual , a communal gathering after a death in the family where multiple children are sometimes married together , with families fearing social boycott if they refuse .

Khushboo’s case reflects a broader social problem. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) , about 23 per cent of women aged 20–24 in India were married before the age of 18 , although the figure has declined significantly from more than 50 per cent in the 1990s. Child marriage remains more common in rural areas, poorer households and among girls with little or no schooling , highlighting the links between early marriage, poverty and lack of education.

India also accounts for nearly one-third of the world’s child brides , even though the prevalence has steadily fallen over the past three decades. Experts say the practice persists due to a mix of poverty, social customs, gender inequality, safety concerns and pressure to marry daughters early .

Despite the challenges, Khushboo is now rebuilding her life. She had dropped out of school after Class 7 due to the marriage but has since resumed her studies through open schooling and is preparing for her secondary examinations.

“It is also my elder sister’s wish that I complete my education and become self-reliant,” she said, expressing hope that her case will encourage other girls trapped in similar circumstances to assert their rights and seek legal help.