A new decade of Indian marriages: Later, freer, braver

Caste as a non-negotiable criterion in marriage is steadily losing ground, while Indians are marrying later and showing greater openness to remarriage, according to a new survey by matrimony platform Jeevansathi. The report titled The Big Shift: How India Is Rewriting the Rules of Partner Search and Marriage draws on platform data from 2016 and 2025 along with survey insights from over 30,000 active users in 2026.

“Over the last decade, the median age of (Jeevansathi) users initiating their partner search moved from 27 to 29 years, with 50 per cent of users now beginning the process at 29. The shift indicates that financial stability, career growth and personal readiness are taking precedence over early marriage timelines,” the report said. The study also recorded a sharp rise in remarriage seekers.

Key findings highlight a 43 per cent rise in remarriage seekers over the past decade, the median marriage age moving from 27 to 29, a steady dilution of strict caste filters (down from 91 per cent to 54 per cent), 77 per cent profiles now being self-managed, and 90% users prioritising the “right person” over age or financial stability.

The report also observed a sharp decline in caste as a strict preference, from 91 per cent of users marking caste as a non-negotiable criterion in 2016 to 54 per cent in 2025. “The trend is more pronounced in metros, where only 49 per cent consider caste as a ‘strict field’,” it pointed out.

In 2016, 11 per cent of users on the platform were looking for a second marriage where as by 2025, the figure had risen to 16 per cent — a 43 per cent increase over 10 years. “Fifteen per cent of interest received by divorced profiles now comes from individuals who have never been married, while one in six success stories on the platform involves a second marriage, signalling a gradual decline in the stigma around divorce,” it added.

The findings also point to a broader redefinition of marriage priorities, with 90 per cent of users saying finding the “right person” matters more than reaching a certain age or income level. Marriage decisions are also becoming more individual-led, as, according to the data, 77 per cent of profiles today are created and managed by users themselves, compared to 67 per cent in 2016, while family-managed profiles have reduced from 33 per cent to 23 per cent.