📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Mennonite Church USA Archives
Health
Bihar remains among India's highest child‑marriage states, NFHS‑6 data reveals
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 10 Sep 2026, 08:48 PM
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The latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS‑6) shows Bihar’s child‑marriage prevalence remains one of the highest in the country, underscoring persistent social challenges.
According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS‑6), a sizable share of women aged 20‑24 in Bihar were married before turning 18, indicating a persistent high incidence of child marriage in the state.
The findings place Bihar alongside Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, which also record elevated child‑marriage rates, while the overall national average remains lower.
Child marriage is associated with health risks, school drop‑outs and entrenched poverty. The Bihar government has pledged stricter enforcement of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and expanded awareness programmes, but measurable progress has been limited so far.
The findings place Bihar alongside Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, which also record elevated child‑marriage rates, while the overall national average remains lower.
Child marriage is associated with health risks, school drop‑outs and entrenched poverty. The Bihar government has pledged stricter enforcement of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and expanded awareness programmes, but measurable progress has been limited so far.