- Why in news
- On 13 March 2026, the Women and Child Development Ministry told Lok Sabha about the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign and how the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 is enforced.
- What it is
- The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 replaced the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929. It prohibits child marriage and provides for officers to prevent it and prosecute offenders. Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat is a national campaign that supports enforcement through awareness and community action.
- Campaign launch
- Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat was launched on 27 November 2024 to make India child-marriage-free through a whole of government and whole of society approach.
- Who appoints CMPOs
- Section 16 of the PCMA lets the State Government appoint Child Marriage Prohibition Officers for the whole State or a part of it.
- Constitutional basis of State role
- Police and Public Order are State subjects, so States and UTs bear primary responsibility for preventing child marriage.
- 100 Days Special Campaign
- It began on 4 December 2025, and requires CMPO details to be uploaded on the portal. It also pushes Gram Panchayats and Municipal Wards to declare themselves child-marriage-free.
Don’t confuse with PCMA 2006 vs Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929: The 2006 Act replaced the 1929 Act. It focuses on prohibition and on protecting victims, not only on restraining marriages.
Don’t confuse with PCMA vs Child and Adolescent Labour Act 1986: The PCMA covers child marriage and has CMPOs under Section 16. The labour Act covers child and adolescent labour and has District Magistrate powers under Section 17A.
Laws, judgments and statutory bodies: 30 Prelims questions since 2013 (what the law says, who chairs, legal basis). In Mains, 44 news-triggered questions, most in GS2, asking for provisions and challenges.
Why it matters
- Child marriage harms girls' health, education and autonomy, so ending it supports gender justice and SDG 5.
- The campaign adds community action and a reporting portal to a law-based approach.
Problems
- Enforcement rests with States, so capacity and priority differ widely across them.
- Social norms and underreporting weaken the law, since families and communities often support the marriages.
Way forward
- Strengthen CMPOs with training and resources, and make them accountable through the portal.
- Keep girls in school and build their skills, and use panchayats and communities to change norms.
Put in your answer
State subject angle: Police and Public Order are State subjects, so the Centre supports through policy and schemes while States enforce.
- 2015Mains GS4 · Q14Handling village elders' demand to marry off schooled girls early
- 2003Prelims Q133Magsaysay winner Sandeep Pandey's main activism field, with child marriage prevention as an option
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: A lasting law and campaign; this reply gives little that is new, so no practice question.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.