The Causes of the Rise of the Divorce Rate in India

The divorce rate in any particular area is a percentage of the overall number of people going through a divorce in that particular area. The divorce rate in India about twenty years ago was about 5 percent. Now, the divorce rate is about 12.5 percent. This rate, in recent years, has increased tremendously. In one area, called Haryana, a reported 5,000 divorces occur every year. This is the highest in the country among states with comparable populations (Mohan). This is quite alarming to many sociologists

For these women, their education and employment were very important parts of their lives and they wanted to continue with theses aspects. Entering into an arranged marriage would only jeopardize their chances of progressing in their jobs and education. Furthermore, these women wanted to have control over their own financial situation (Bhopal 488).

in India (Mohan). Some think this is because of the doing away with traditional methods of getting married, which is the arranged marriage, and the adoption of the Western method of the love marriage.

All of these facts play a major role in the cause of the divorce rate in India. Although some of these aspects are thought to be the cause, there is evidence that they are not the direct cause. For example, the present study has indicated that divorce rates do not appear to be related to the religious orientation of the country (Lester 218). Lester has come up with evidence to show that religion does not play a major role in the cause of divorce. Also, data suggests that the inter-caste marriages are tolerated with little difficulty because although they break traditional rules requiring caste endogamy, they do not come into direct conflict with other concepts involving social stratification and family structure (Corwin 823). Lester clearly indicates that modernization is the cause of divorce. With modernization, comes new ideas and independence. The younger generation is more likely to stick to the new ways of life, and do away with “outdated” methods of marriage. The fact that they are young, and often get married on impulse, they end up divorcing one another (Padmasani). Dowries have played a major role in the idea of marriage. Instead of getting divorced, the main trend is for the individuals to find their own partner before they get married. So, the majority is not getting divorced because of dowries, rather they are choosing their own spouses before they get married. The incorporation of the love marriage in the Indian society has caused a major rift in the purity of the marriage. This rift has resulted in more divorce within the society. As modernization rises in India, so does the idea of the love marriage; but there is still no direct evidence to suggest that as the love marriage rises, so does the divorce rate in India. Although, it has been stated that the other factors are not the cause of th

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