Caste and Race in India c13.11

c13.11

The Special Marriage Amendment Act, though not perfect in its provisions, now makes it possible for persons to marry outside their caste with self-respect and honesty. More and more individuals must be found to take advantage of the Act and to enter into inter-caste marriages. We believe this culmination is not far off. As marriage comes to be arranged by the young parties in preference to their elders, restrictions of caste on marriage will vanish in proportion. We have seen that most of such inter-caste marriages that have taken place were managed by the youth, and their parents and guardians had no effective voice therein. As marriage becomes an affair to be managed among the young by their own choice, proper opportunities for the young people to come into touch with those of the opposite sex must be provided. Otherwise marriage either becomes difficult or maladjusted. That is the experience of many parents and guardians who have educated their daughters or female wards up to the highest standards of university education. It appears to us that co-education at all stages of instruction is the best method of bringing together young people of opposite sex, apart from its being the best prophylactic for sex morals. The enthusiasm of youth will surely transcend the artificial bounds of caste.