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Changing family structure in India
Manisha Dhami @Manisha Dhami
JUN 24, 2020, 14:30 IST
Manisha Dhami
@MANISHA DHAMI
Families have both structure and function. Like the skeleton and muscles
PhD Research Scholar, Dept. of
in a body, the structure is what gives a family it’s size and shape. Also, like
Human Development and Family
organs within the body that perform necessary functions to keep the body Studies, Punjab Agricultural
working, there are certain necessary functions that keep families healthy. University, LUdhiana

It sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote

The importance of guidance and
solidarity and stability. It asserts that our lives are guided by social counselling in adolescents’ life
structures, which are relatively stable patterns of social behaviour. Social
Healthy eating starts with positive
structures give shape to our lives – for example, in families, the parenting

community, and through religious organizations and certain rituals, or Suicide is preventable
complex religious ceremonies, give structure to our everyday lives. Each
Socio-cultural differences in child’s
social structure has social functions or consequences for the operation of environment and its effect on child
rearing practices and development
society as a whole.
COVID 19: Age of virtual interaction
Social structures consist of social relationships, as well as any social
institutions within a society. One example of a social structure is a social
class (upper-class, middle-class, and poor). Another example of a social MOST DISCUSSED
structure is the different levels of government. Family, religion, law,
economy, and class are all social structures. 01 DIFFICULT ROADS LEAD TO
BEAUTIFUL DESTINATIONS
Michelle Smith
December 11, 2022
India and its family structure
India has a rich family structure with a patrilineal background, which 02 A letter to the younger me
Harshika Patil
help the family members to sustain a life with kinship groupings. Earlier, December 16, 2022

mostly joint families were found where family members live together 03 Technology is a tool not a
Substitute for living
under one roof. They all mutually work, eat, worship and co-operate each
Srushti Oswal
other in one or the other way. This also helps the family to get strong December 11, 2022

mentally, physically and economically, the children also get to know

MOST READ
about the values and traditions of the society from their grandparents and
elders. The family system has given a lot of importance in India and has
01 Today’s time is paramount!
worked more often to make the bonding among families stronger. The vibhu
May 13, 2020
family system has given a lot of importance in India and has worked more
often to make the bonding among families stronger. Meanwhile, 02 Oldest language of the world
whatsup University
urbanization and westernization had its influence on the basic structure May 13, 2020

of the Indian family structure. The division of the joint family into smaller
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12/20/22, 8:24 AM Changing family structure in India

units is not the symbol of people rejecting this traditional structure. The RECENTLY JOINED BLOGGERS
circumstances and conditions also made the need for people to split the
family.
Rajeshwari Akshita Sharma Tarannum Shah khadija natali
The family as a social institution has been undergoing change. Both in its Nagarajan

structure and functions changes have taken place. In India, as in many

traditional societies, the family has been not only the centre of social and
Harshika Patil Adwiti Singh Lata Tewari Dhruv Singhal

economic life but also the primary source of support for the family
members. The increasing commercialization of the economy and the
development of the infrastructure of the modern state have introduced a Ria Minglani Jayashree
Jayashree Arun
significant change in the family structure in India in the 20th century.
Especially, the last few decades have witnessed important alterations in
family life.

India’s fertility rate has fallen, and couples have begun to bear children at
a later age. At the same time, life expectancy has increased, resulting in
more elderly people who need care. All of these changes are taking place
in the context of increased urbanization, which is separating children
from elders and contributing disintegration of family-based support
systems.

Factors affecting family structures

Change in Fertility: An inevitable outcome of declining fertility rates and
increasing age at first birth in most of the countries in the world,
including India, is a reduction in family size. Fertility declined due to the
combined effect of substantial socio-economic development achieved
during the last two decades and the effective implementation of family
planning programmes.

Hence, it has become irrational for many people to have large families as
the cost of children is increasing. In traditional societies, where human
labour was a source of strength to the family, more children were
preferred to fewer. But as the economic contribution from the children in
a family decreased, because of a move away from agriculture, the need for
large numbers of children decreased. Improvements in health care and
child survival also contributed. The emphasis was on the quality of life
rather than the number of children, a new concept added to the family.

Change in Age of marriage: In many countries in the world where

significant declines infertility are being experienced, reductions in the
proportion of people never married have often coincided with or preceded
declines in marital fertility. A substantial increase in the proportions
never married, among both males and females, at young ages, has been
noted in many countries. A consequence of the increase in the proportion
of never-married young adults is the gradual upward trend of the average
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12/20/22, 8:24 AM Changing family structure in India

age at marriage. Postponement of marriage among females resulted in the

postponement of childbearing with a reduction in family size.

Change in Mortality: Mortality declines, particularly infant mortality,

everywhere preceded the decline of fertility. Improved survival rates of
children mean that when women reached the age of 30 they increasingly
had achieved the completed family size they desired. Earlier, much larger
numbers of births were required to achieve the desired completed family
size. In the last three decades, infant mortality has declined significantly
in every country and this trend undoubtedly influenced the fertility
decline. Mortality decline, followed by fertility decline, altered the age
structure of the population and also the structure within individual
families.

Marriage Dissolution: It is no longer the case that all marital unions,

whether formal or informal reach final dissolution through death. A
considerable proportion of unions are disrupted suddenly for reasons
such as desertion, separation or divorce. An obvious failure in a family
relationship is where husband and wife cease to live together. Those
women who are divorced at latter ages mostly remain single for the rest of
their lives and live with their dependents. The idea that when a couple has
children it will be less likely to divorce is widely accepted in most
societies. However, it is believed that in the last couple of years even in
most of the Asian cultures, including India, a growing proportion of
divorces involve couples with young children (Goode 1993).

Participation of Women in Economic development: The

commercialization process which opened markets in many developing
countries has succeeded in replacing the traditional co-operation in the
economic relationship, with that of competition. In this process, the social
institutions in these countries found themselves in conflict with the key
aspects of the new economic systems. The economics of the family and
the sexual division of labour within the family is very much determined by
opportunities in the labour market. The developing economies of system
India have facilitated the freeing of women from household chores and
their entrance to the labour market. The declining ability of men to earn a
‘family wage’ along with the growing need for cash for family
maintenance has resulted in an increasing number of female members
(particularly the wife) in the family engaging in economic activities
(Lloyed and Duffy 1995).

Talcott Parsons, theoretical insights on the family have attracted widest

attention and deliberation. Parsons (1954, 1956) argues that modern
industrial society has led to the growth of what he calls “isolated nuclear

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12/20/22, 8:24 AM Changing family structure in India

family”. This family is structurally isolated as it does not form an integral

part of the wider kinship group.

Family is a very fluid social institution and in the process of constant

change. The modern family or, rather the post-modern family is also
witnessing several new forms of it cropping up. Modernity is witnessing
the emergence of same-sex couples (LGBT relationship), cohabitation or
live-in relations, single-parent households, a large chunk of divorced
living alone or with their children.

Parameswararao Thotakura
very good. the problems were narrative with future vision.
REPLY

Dibyajeet P Tarai
is joint family disintegrating or the society is witnessing a new type of family
structure? someone do put a conclusion below
REPLY

Datha Sai
thanks sister for giving this information
REPLY

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