Not meant to be partners for life- What people think of marriage

HT, 18 December: For the young, marriage is not a promise for life and cheating is premissible but family continues to be an anchor.

The latest Youth Survey by HT and MaRS shows marriage is not what it used to be. Only 22.4% of the men and 19.2% of the women polled think their current relationship will go the distance. More than half the men, 51.6%, think it will not, though the women naysayers are a little less, at 44.2%. The institution of family remains largely intact, with 74% of the men and 72% of the women saying their relationship with parents is either “close” or “very close”.

Friends come a distant second. Only 36% of the men and women say they are either “close” or “very close” to their best friends.

Perhaps the reasons behind the attitude to marriage were revealed when the respondents were asked if they will consider sex before marriage, or think of living together before taking the plunge. Only 43.6% of the men and 44.2% of the women were against sex before marriage, leaving the majority either in favour of it, or uncertain.

More than half of the respondents from both genders were either in favour of living together or undecided. Only 46.3% of the men and 48.9% of the women said no to it.

Nearly half of both genders will either be happy to cheat on their partner, or have an open mind about it, if there was no fear of getting caught. Only 53.9% of the men and 49.9% of the women said they were certain they will not. The two old bugbears of Indian society — caste and homosexuality — remain bugbears.

The survey revealed that more than half of the men , 55%, do not approve of inter-caste marriage, and more than 60% look down on homosexuality. It is not much different with women: about 57% do not approve of inter-caste marriage and nearly 65% frown upon homosexuality