Assam Reports Sharp Drop in Child Marriages, Teenage Pregnancies

Assam Police have arrested 524 people and registered 441 cases in an intensified crackdown on child marriage, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday, as the state government continues its campaign against underage marriages launched in 2023.

In a post on social media, Sarma said the figures were recorded as of 5 pm on October 27. He said the enforcement drive had begun ahead of a major operation previously announced for November and would continue until child marriage was eliminated in the state.

The government has reported more than 11,000 arrests and over 12,000 registered cases since the campaign began. Sarma has also cited a decline in child marriages and teenage pregnancies during this period.

A July 2024 report by child-rights organisation India Child Protection, titled Towards Justice: Ending Child Marriage, documented an 81 per cent decline in recorded child-marriage cases across 20 districts. The figures fell from 3,225 in 2021–22 to 627 in 2023–24, according to the report.

In June 2025, Sarma also cited government data indicating a reduction in teenage pregnancies following the campaign. However, the latest arrest figures do not provide a separate assessment of current child-marriage prevalence or teenage pregnancy rates.

The state has also introduced measures to encourage girls to continue their education. The Nijut Moina scheme, launched in 2024, provides financial assistance to eligible female students to support their education.

The crackdown involves police action against people allegedly involved in underage marriages, alongside wider efforts to address the practice. Under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, child marriages and those facilitating them are subject to legal provisions.

The latest figures reflect the ongoing enforcement campaign, while the government has reiterated its commitment to eliminating child marriage across Assam.