A Research Monograph

on
Marital Impacts on Undergraduate
Female Students in Jagannath University

Supervisor
Mst. Kamrunnahar
Lecturer
Department of Anthropology
Jagannath University, Dhaka-1100

Submitted by:
Md. Rezone Kabir
Roll: B180405052
BSS (Honours)
Session: 2018-19
Course Title: Research Monograph
Course Code: ANP-4204
Department of Anthropology
Jagannath University, Dhaka-1100

Submission Date: November 30, 2023

 A Research Monograph
on
Marital Impacts on Undergraduate
Female Students in Jagannath University

Supervisor

…………………………..
Mst. Kamrunnahar
Lecturer
Department of Anthropology
Jagannath University, Dhaka-1100

This research work is done for course ANP-4204 (Research Monograph) of

B.S.S (Hon’s) 2nd semester, Department of Anthropology, Jagannath
University, Dhaka.

Submission Date: November 30, 2023

 A Research Monograph
on
Marital Impacts on Undergraduate
Female Students in Jagannath University

Course Title: Research Monograph

Course Code: ANP-4204

Submitted by:

..………………………………..…
Md. Rezone Kabir
Roll: B180405052
BSS (Honours)
Session: 2018-19
Department of Anthropology
Jagannath University, Dhaka-1100

Submission Date: November 30, 2023

 Acknowledgement

At the very beginning, I would like to express my deep gratitude to Almighty

Allah for blessing me with the ability, strength, and patience as well as guiding
me to the right path, which helped me to complete my work timely and
successfully. I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to my supervisor
for her invaluable guidance and support throughout the duration of this
research project. Without her expert advice and collaboration, I would not
have been able to successfully complete this study. She not only provided me
with a comprehensive understanding of the various aspects of the research,
but also assisted me in identifying and rectifying any errors in my work.
Additionally, she offered me crucial insights and directions to effectively
present my findings. This research would not have been possible without her
direct involvement and supervision. I am grateful to Allah. I would like to
thank my family for helping me financially and mentally for conducting this
research. Furthermore, I am grateful to the Department of Anthropology at
Jagannath University for granting me the opportunity to undertake this
research topic. I would also like to express my thanks to my classmates, they
were very helpful with my research. I would also thank my respondents for
helping me with their data. I am very pleased and thankful for their valuable
cooperation in completing the research. Finally, I am pleased to complete the
report on the given subject properly and authentically.

Md. Rezone Kabir

Roll: B180405052
B.S.S (Hon’s)
Session: 2018-19
Department of Anthropology
Jagannath University, Dhaka-1100

i
 ABSTRACT

The issues faced by female undergraduate university students are investigated

in this study. The purpose of this study is to find out why female
undergraduates falling behind. My aim was to learn about the issues faced by
female undergraduate students and how they can take an active role in their
education. Since the respondents to my study are married Jagannath
University undergraduate female students, I was able to observe their
challenges and issues in day-to-day living.

The socioeconomic status of married undergraduate female students, as well

as the reality of married undergraduate female students' lives, have been
highlighted. This study highlights the mental and physical difficulties
encountered by married female undergraduates. To gain a deeper
understanding of my research topic, literature review has been conducted.

Data has been collected through anthropological research methods in keeping

with this research's objective and subject matter.

ii
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter One

Background of the study

Introduction……………..…………..…….…..………………………..…1

Statement of the problem …………………………...…….…………..…2

Research Objectives…..………….………………………….…….…...…5

Rationale of the study……………………………………………….……5

Research Design...........................................................................................6

Ethical consideration ………………………………………..……..….….6

Chapter Outline…………………………………….………….……….....7

Chapter Two

Literature Review and Theoretical Structure

Overview……………………………………………………………………8

Reviewed Literature………………………….….…………………..…….8

Theoretical Framework ………………………………..………………...12

 Chapter Three

Methodology

Study Area……………………….……………………………..…………14

Study area in the map………………………………………....………….14

Source of Data…………………………………………….......………...…14

Primary Source …………………………………………………….…..…15

Secondary Source …………………………………………………....…...15

Study Population...……...……………………………………………….. 15

Data Collection Method………………………………………....……..…15

Sampling Procedure…………………..…………….………..…………...15

Interview……………………………………………………….…….……15

Research Design ………………………………………………………..…15

Data analysis method ………………………………………………….....16

Chapter Four

Socio-economic status of the respondents

Introduction…………………………..……………………………..….…17

Age pattern of respondents……………………..…………….………..…17

Classification based on having children…………………………………18

Family pattern and the number of earing members………..………..…19

Department-wise classification………………………………....……..….22

Conclusion…………………………………………...…….………….…...23

Chapter Five

Premarital status

Introduction……………………………….…………………….……..….24

Premarital family status………………………………..…….…...……...24

Financial Status…………………………….……………………...……...26

Educational Opportunities……..……..……..................................……...27

Recreational Opportunities………………………………………………28

Individual Freedom……………………………………………………….28

Health Status………………………………………………………………29

Conclusion…………………………………….....……………………...…29

Chapter Six

Post Marital Status

Introduction………………………..……………………………..……….30

Limited time or opportunity for study ……………………………..…....31

Taking Care of Childs ………………………………….……...….…..….32

A potential lack of Entertainment …………..…………..……...……….33

Financial Crisis …………………………..……………………………….34

Conclusion…………………………………………………...…………….35

Chapter Seven

Mental and physical health problems of unemployed

Introduction………………………..……………………………..……….36

Causes of mental health problems of unemployed ………………..…....36

Types of mental health problems ……………………………...……..….37

Classification of mental health problems…………..…………...……….38

Physical health problems of the respondents ………………….……….39

Types of physical health problems …………………………………........39

Classification of physical health problems…………………...……..…...39

Conclusion…………………………………………………...…………….40

Chapter Eight

Recommendations …………………….………………………….....……41

Conclusion …………………………………….……….……….……...….42

References………………………………………….……………..……43-45
 Chapter One
Background of the study
1.1 Introduction:
Marriage is a significant life event that often occurs during the undergraduate
years for some individuals. Marriage is a transformative act. Marriage
requires commitment, collaboration, communication, intentional planning,
and creativity—especially when one or both spouses are in college (Krish,
2011; Nielsen, Pinsof, Rampage, Solomon, & Goldstein, 2004). This life
event from single life to married life can have various implications for
undergraduate female students. While marriage can be a healthy phenomenon,
it can also affect their academic engagement, social interactions, and overall
well-being. The investment of time, energy, and emotions in marriage can
influence students’ academic priorities, as well as personal and social goals
(Fincham & Ming, 2010). The median age of marriage in Bangladesh for those
who live in the poorest and richest household are 15, and 18 years,
respectively; and 75% of women with no education were married before the
age of 18 & 23.85% of university female students are married. However,
there is limited research that comprehensively examines how marriage
influences undergraduate students’ engagement. Therefore, if marriage places
demand on students’ time, energy, and priorities, then the possible impact of
marriage on female student engagement must be studied in order to support
the development and success of married female students. This research
proposal outlines a study designed to investigate the impact of marriage on
the academic and social engagement of undergraduate female students.
The undergraduate phase is traditionally marked by the pursuit of academic
excellence, personal growth, and the formation of social networks. However,
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introducing marriage in this situation brings a set of challenges and
opportunities. My research aims to find out and understand the impact of
marriage on the academic and social engagement of undergraduate female
students.

Marriage can offer support, stability, and companionship, it can also introduce
new stress, time constraints, and responsibilities especially for female
students. These challenges may not only affect the individual but also have an
impact on their academic pursuits and social interactions.

Existing literature provides valuable insights into the relationship between

marital status and various aspects of life. Yet, there is a noticeable gap in
research that specifically explores the complexity of marriage during the
undergraduate years. My study seeks to fill this gap by conducting a thorough
examination of how marriage affects the academic, social, and overall well-
being dimensions of graduate students. In this research, I will outline the key
objectives, methodologies, and expected contributions of my study. I aim to
shed light on the nuanced ways in which marriage shapes the undergraduate
experience, providing valuable insights for universities, policymakers, and
students themselves. By gaining a deeper understanding of this multifaceted
phenomenon, I hope to better address the challenges and harness the potential
benefits of marriage during the formative undergraduate years.

1.2 Statement of the problem:

Marriage of girls at an early age or child marriage is a serious social problem
like social problems. This happens more in developing countries. In third

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world countries like Bangladesh, girls are considered to be of marriageable
age when they finish school. For university students this reality is more
difficult. In countries where students are married before they finish school,
university graduates are often assumed to be married. These students face
various pressures due to taking this subject for granted. There is a common
saying in the society that if a girl is too old, she will not get married. So, the
parents want their daughter to get married as soon as possible before
graduation. There are many married students who had very good academic
results before marriage but after marriage they are under so much pressure
that they focus only on family management leaving aside their own
aspirations, future and even studies. Many times, a married female student is
seen taking classes with her child or suffering from anxiety about where to
keep her child during class which creates additional stress for her. On the other
hand, the picture is quite different for a married man. He doesn't have to take
care of the family, he doesn't have to take care of the children, he can finish
his work and come home to rest. But there is no rest for a woman who is a
student as well as a mother.

Recently I saw 3 of my classmates with their children during my university

classes. Sometimes they leave to take care of the children without finishing
the whole class. Among them I observed one, who wrote 3 or 4 questions very
quickly instead of 5 questions in the exam and went home to take care of the
children long before the exam was over. Seeing them face these adverse
conditions and taking care of their children up close made me interested in
doing research on married female university students like them.

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According to Ritchie and Roser's 2019 Gender Ratio Report, 49% of the
world's population is female. This statistic is very significant as women are
seen as a valuable asset in the labor force in terms of gender diversity,
competence and productivity of organizations as women's labor force
participation rate increases (Turban, Wu and Zhang, 2019). But this image
may be only in the developed world, third world countries like ours where
women are married off before they finish their education. This rate is even
higher in the case of university graduates. These married girls can be divided
into different categories. For example, there is a group of married students
who want to complete their studies despite the odds and others who stop going
to school and college to support their families. They face many problems
especially while raising children along with studies, suffer from various types
of stress, fatigue, anxiety and depression.

In our country, the presence of female students at primary and secondary level
is high. But the situation is different at higher secondary and higher education
level. One of the reasons why girls drop out before they reach the higher
education level is that they are married off prematurely. As this problem is
increasing day by day in Bangladesh, I want to complete my research on this
subject as soon as possible. The main aim of my research is to identify what
kind of influencers work behind such a complex problem and what kind of
adversities these married students face as well as the social constructions that
work behind it.

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1.3 Research objectives:
The marital problem of undergraduate students is one of the major problems
in Bangladesh. A married university student has to take lectures for his class,
attend classes every day, participate in various projects, and also manage the
household. The main objective of this study is to investigate the challenges
that married university students face in higher education and to identify the
social constructs that underlie such challenges.

In addressing issue of married female students, this study poses 3 specific

objective includes; The specific objectives of this study are-

I. To find out why university students get married before the end of
their education and the effect on them after marriage.
II. Try to find out how they manage their family life, child rearing and
studies.
III. Explore how health issues affect these students both at home and at
work.

1.4 Rationale of the study

This study is very important for students of all levels. If we do not find out
what kind of obstacles a married university student has to face and what are
the main reasons behind such problems then no one will be aware of the
harmful side of this problem. As a result, the student dropout rate will soon
increase. Brown and Watson (2010), who examined the experiences of female
doctoral students, showed that having responsibilities as a student in addition
to being a mother had a serious impact on them. Because they find it difficult
to balance while joining the workplace. They also argued that, while doctoral
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students were satisfied with their male supervisors, no special consideration
was given to married female students by the university.

As Ravnbøl, 2011 points out, women currently deal with many pressures.
Working women cannot send their children to school and return to work. On
completion of this research, we will be able to know about the challenges that
married female students face and identify the factors that work behind creating
these problems.

1.5 Research Design

This study was conducted through a mix-method approach. If I conduct
through quantitative study, this would limit me to collecting qualitative data
and there is no opportunity to give the response of respondents as they want
to. There is an opportunity for the respondent to give their opinion as they
want to give. I used semi-structural and unstructured questionnaires. This data
collection method is reasonable for my research.

1.6 Ethical consideration

For an ethnographer, ethics are very important. I tried to consider all the
ethical issues related to this study. At first, I introduced myself to the
informants and tried to briefly describe the objectives of this study, as well as
ensure them that there were no academic or governmental issues so that they
could feel safe answering my questions freely. From the beginning of the data
collection, I told them that they had complete freedom to participate in this
research or not. I have tried to present all the data provided by the participants
to me without any bias.

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1.7 Chapter outline
I have discussed my research work in eight chapters, these are:
● First chapter: This chapter explores the Introduction, Statement of the
problem, Research Objectives, Research Design, Ethical
considerations, and chapter outline.
● Second chapter: Here in this chapter have evaluated the literature
related to my research topics and differentiated the information of this
research with the literature related to the topic and discussed how this
research will bring new information different from the previous one.
● Third chapter: In this chapter discussed different methods and data
collection techniques that have been used for interviews, taking notes,
and use of diary, use of recorder, and case study.
● Fourth chapter: This chapter explores the socio-economic status of
the respondents and also has given an overall description of it.
● Fifth Chapter: This chapter highlights the premarital situation of
female students. Although their difficulties for a women was hard but
it was better than after marriage.
● Sixth Chapter: This Chapter shows the changes undergraduate female
student faces.
● Seventh Chapter: Here, I outlined Mental and physical health
problems of Undergraduate Female Students.
● Eighth Chapter: I have explained recommendations and conclusions
in this chapter.

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 Chapter Two
Literature Review and Theoretical Framework

2.1 Overview
This part of the study provides a discussion and analyses the theoretical and
empirical framework in relation to the impacts of early marriage on
undergraduate students in Bangladesh. How it is affecting their personal life
and their under-graduation study and their future.

2.2 Reviewed Literature

IKEDA and NAE.,(2023) carried out a research in titled "Can Japan Aspire to
a Gender-Equal Society? Japanese Male and Female Students’ Attitudes
Regarding Marriage and Gender Roles in Family and Society". They discuss
the persistent problem of gender inequality in Japan in their paper. It aims to
assess Japanese college students' views and goals on gender roles, marriage,
having kids, and their involvement in the home and workforce. In Tokyo and
central Japan, a survey of male and female college students enrolled in
national, public, and private higher education institutions was carried out.
According to their findings, despite the fact that marriage and the male
breadwinner model are still prevalent in Japanese society, both male and
female students have favorable expectations for marriage and having children
as well as more egalitarian attitudes on gender roles in the home and
workplace.

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Mahmoodabadi and Zarei.,(2021) conducted a study on "Causes and
Consequences of Early marriage and the Occurrence of Child Marriage in
Female Students in Yazd Province: Grounded Theory Study". In their
research, they described Early marriage and the problem of child marriage are
big threats that alter the structure of the family. According to the World Health
Organization, a marriage occurs before the age of eighteen. Given the
significance of this matter, the purpose of this study was to investigate the
reasons behind early marriage, its effects, and the prevalence of child marriage
among Yazd province's female students. This qualitative investigation was
carried out using grounded theory. All divorced female high school students
in Yazd province during the academic year 2009–2010 comprised the research
environment. Eleven individuals were ultimately chosen from among the
participants through in-depth semi-structural interviews, which were based on
theoretical, targeted, and snowball sampling. This process continued until the
theoretical saturation was reached.
For this study, three stages of open, axial, and selective coding were used in
the Strauss and Corbin method of data analysis. Eight primary categories were
ultimately extracted from 550 initial concepts that were derived from open
coding and 27 categories from axial coding. Lack of communication,
carelessness, marital intimacy, lack of sociomoral maturity, psychological
instability, divorce risks and consequences, academic difficulties, and
interpersonal issues were the primary categories. The findings demonstrated
that getting married young has a number of drawbacks, including divorce.
During the marriage period, the most common issues among students were
communication. A lack of communication can result in issues including
infidelity, difficulties in education and marital intimacy.

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Majhi.,(2023) conducted a study on "Educational Status and Early Marriage
of Females in West Bengal- A Spatial Perspective". In his study he pointed
that The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 declared first-time child
marriage voidable. It establishes 18 as the minimum age for a female to get
married. However, it is still a harsh reality in Indian society for women to
marry young. In many West Bengal districts, the level of education and
literacy among women is appalling. In the state, two thirds of people reside in
rural areas. Females in rural areas are more likely than those in urban areas to
marry young. Education plays a major part in lowering the number of young
female marriages. Women are less likely than men to be literate and to be in
the population with a graduate degree or higher.

The study shows that early marriage rates are interestingly low in areas where
female graduates and literacy rates are higher, and vice versa. That fact is also
supported by the correlation. In West Bengal, the main reasons why girls
marry young are poverty, ignorance, illiteracy, dropping out, and distance
from school. The national and state governments launched programs like Beti
Bachao, Beti Padhao and Kanyashree Prakalpa to lower the rate of young
female marriages, which undoubtedly changed the situation. However, strict
legislation and public awareness are required to eradicate social evils like
child marriage.

Moumi.,(2022) conducted a study on "Challenges Encountered by Married

Female Undergraduate Students Towards Their Academic Performances." In
her study To address this issue, she explores various techniques that can help
female married undergraduates maintain their academic performance.

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Additionally, she investigates the perspectives of these students on the matter.
To gather data, the researcher conducted an online survey, which involved the
participation of 40 undergraduate students, faculty members, and married
individuals. The primary focus of this study is to emphasize the significance
of the surrounding factors such as society, educational institutions, and
households in determining the academic success of female married
undergraduate students. By shedding light on these challenges, the research
aims to enhance public awareness and provide guidance on how to support
female married students during difficult times. In her extensive study, the
researcher delves into the concept of undergraduate years as a period of self-
discovery, adventure, and liberation.

However, she raises an intriguing question about what happens to college

students when they enter into marriage. Traditionally, marriage has been
perceived as a collaborative partnership wherein both spouses are expected to
sacrifice some of their individuality. This presents a unique challenge for
women, as their domestic responsibilities often hinder their ability to fully
engage in their studies. Throughout history, women have shouldered an array
of family tasks, including childcare, housekeeping, meal preparation, and
overall family well-being. Consequently, female married undergraduate
students find themselves juggling the responsibilities of being a wife and
mother alongside their academic commitments. Ultimately, the objective of
this research is to improve the overall situation for female married
undergraduate students. By addressing the obstacles they face on a daily basis
within their households, educational institutions, and society as a whole, the

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researcher aims to assist these students in achieving their desired academic
outcomes.

2.2 Theoretical Framework

Theoretical framework is one of the important aspects of the research process
Iqbal (2007) research aspect. The struggle to identify and prepare the
theoretical framework for the essay is the most difficult but not impossible for
the proposal.
It provides a logical framework for and supports the problem statement,
objectives, significance and research questions. Over the past 30 years there
has been a growing trend to include theoretical frameworks in research papers
(Melendez, 2002). According to Silver and Herbst, journals that are submitted
are often rejected for having no “theory” (Lester, 2005). The theoretical
framework is the blueprint for the entire study. This theoretical framework
provides a framework for determining what to create.

Eisenhart (1991) defined a theoretical framework as a framework that guides

research based on formal theory. I will try to present my research by
comparing it with Liberal Feminism theoretical thought. From the political
thought called "Liberalism" arose the theoretical thought called Liberal
Feminism. Those specifically named with liberal feminism. Among those
involved are: Mary Wollstonecraft, Harriet Taylor, Betty Friedan, etc. All of
them believe that the root cause of women's subordination in the society lies
in the prevailing customs and traditions of the society and the legal system
which creates discrimination between men and women. According to liberal
feminists, it is possible to eliminate discrimination and inequality between

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men and women by reforming social institutions, laws and regulations. Our
society is a patriarchal society. In this society it is seen that women are not
given much importance; they are not allowed to cross the threshold of higher
education. Rather, women should be married quickly and their job is to
manage the family. They cannot work outside the house. It is because of the
existence of this type of social construction in the society that working
women, students or married undergraduate female students women are so
neglected and oppressed in today's society.

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 Chapter Three
Methodology

3.1 Study Area

I have selected the research area for conducting this research one of a public
university in Dhaka. More specifically, Jagannath University. Data was
collected from the undergraduate students, those who are currently studying
in this university.

3.1.1 Study area in the map

Photo: Map of Jagannath University

3.2 Source of data

For this research, I collected data from primary and secondary sources.

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3.2.1. Primary Source
The data from primary sources were collected directly from the respondent in
the field through Direct personal interviews, Questionnaires.

3.2.2. Secondary Source

The secondary sources are various research journals, books related to my
research, magazines, newspapers, etc.

3.3 Study population

The study population is the university female undergraduates, those who are
married and some of them has children.

3.4 Data Collection method

This study used Interviews, Case study data collection methods.

3.4.1 Sampling Procedure

For this study, data collected from 20 respondents by purposive sampling
method.

3.4.2. Interview
A total of twenty respondents from university graduates were interviewed.

3.5 Research Design

This study conducted through a mixed-method approach. If I wanted to
conduct a quantitative study, this would limit me to collecting qualitative data,
and there is no opportunity to give the respondent's responses as they want to.

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That’s why I conducted this research in a mixed methods approach. There is
an opportunity for the respondent to give their opinion as they want to give it.
A semi-structural unstructured question will be used in this research. I have
used interviews, surveys. These data collection methods are reasonable for my
research.

3.6 Data analysis method

Qualitative data analysis software "NVivo QSR International" used for
thematic data analysis and SPSS form Analytics for statistical data analysis.

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 Chapter Four
Socioe-conomic status of the respondents
4.1 Introduction
This chapter explored the statistical distribution of the socio-economic status
of the respondents from the data obtained in my study. Here I have tried to
discuss the age pattern, Classification based on having children, the
department-wise classification, the family pattern, and the number of earning
members in a family of the respondents. I have also tried to explain the figures
by describing the format of the data obtained. Whereas 4.2 has Age pattern of
respondents, 4.3 has Classification based on having children, 4.4 has
Department-wise classification of the respondents, 4.5 has Family pattern and
number of earning member in family and Conclusion in 4.6.

4.2 Age pattern of respondents

There were a total of 20 respondents. I included women of different ages as
informants in my research. Generally, this study covers the age range of 21
to 27 years. This age-wise arrangement is summarized in a table:

Age Respondents Percentage

21-23 3 15.00%

24-26 11 55.00%

27-29 6 30.00%

Total 20 100%

Table 1: Age pattern of respondents

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It can be seen from the above table that among the respondents 15.00% of
them are 21-23 years old, 55.00% of them are 24-26 years old and 30.00% are
above 27 years old. This point is presented through a diagram for a clear
explanation.

Age pattern

15%
30%
21-23
24-26
27-29
55%

Figure 1: Age pattern of respondents

4.3 Classification based on having children

Among 20 respondents, some women had children, some were newly married.
This age-wise arrangement is summarized in a table:

Classification Respondents Percentage

Women with Children 14 70.00%

Women without Children 6 30.00%

Total 20 100%

Table 2: Classification based on children

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The above table shows that of the respondents, 70.00% are married and have
one or more children, and 30.00% are married but have no children as of yet.
This point is presented through a diagram for a clear explanation.

Classification based on having children

30%

Women with Children

70% Women without Children

Figure 2: Classification based on children

4.4 Family pattern and number of earning member in family

In this research work, I have collected data of respondents’ family patterns
and earning member in their family. The mentioned data are presented in the
table:
Family Pattern Respondents Percentage
Nuclear 14 70.00%

Joint 4 20.00%

Separate 2 10.00%

Total 20 100%

Table 3: Family pattern

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It can be seen from the above table that among the respondent’s family
patterns 70.00% are nuclear, 20.00% are joint and only 10.00%, the number
of respondents respectively 14, 4 and 2. This point is presented through a
diagram for a clear explanation.

Family pattern

10%

20%
Nuclear
Joint
70%
Separate

Figure 3: Family pattern

Earning Member Respondents Percentage

One 14 70.00%

Two 5 25.00%

Three 1 5.00%

Total 20 100%

Table 4: Earning member in family

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The table above can be seen that among the respondent’s earning member in
family majority is only one earning member 70.00% whose number of
respondents are 14 family, second majority two earning member 25.00%
whose number of respondents are 5 family and only one respondent’s family
has three earning members, which is rare whose percentage only 5.00%. This
point is presented through a diagram for a clear explanation.

Number of earning member in family

5%

25%

One

70%
Two
Three

Figure 4: Number of earning member in family

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4.5 Department-wise classification of the respondents
All the respondents I have collected data from in this research work are
undergraduate female students from Jagannath University. In this regard, the
number of department-wise informants from various departments is shown in
the following table:
Department Respondents Percentage

Anthropology 5 25.00%

Geography 1 5.00%

Economics 1 5.00%

Social Work 2 10.00%

Islamic Studies 1 5.00%

Philosophy 1 5.00%

Chemistry 1 5.00%

Sociology 2 10.00%

History 2 10.00%

Bangla 1 5.00%

Psychology 1 5.00%

Botany 1 5.00%

Zoology 1 5.00%

Total 20 100%

Table 5: Department-wise classification of the respondents

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I have collected data from various departments to understand their present
status. A total of 13 departments are from 3 faculties of Jagannath University.
This point is presented through a diagram for a clear explanation.

Department-wise classification
Anthropology
Geography
Economics
5%5% Social Work
5% 25%
5% Islamic Studies
10% Philosophy
5%
5% Chemistry
10%
10% Sociology
5%5%5%
History
Bangla
Psychology
Botany
Zoology

Figure 5: Department-wise classification of the respondents

4.6 Conclusion

In this chapter, I attempted to present respondents' data, such as age, gender,

family pattern, departments, and so on, through a table based on the statistical
description. Also tried to show the data through graphs.

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 Chapter Five
Premarital status
5.1 Introduction
Men as well as women have an equal role in building a socialist country.
Women have contributed to every movement since the language movement
of 1952 till today. Also, there are many examples of success and examples of
educated women in this world. In the developed countries of the world,
women are playing an important role in various fields including literature,
science, art, international politics (Jaijaidin, 25 January 2021). But in
Bangladesh, the picture is very different, there are still many parents or
families in this country who consider women as a burden to the family.
Families always have thoughts and feelings around men. Parents try to take
care of their son's health, nutrition, education, financial problems, but they do
not show much interest in their daughter. However, it is not the case that all
families are in the same situation. This chapter mainly highlights the pre-
marriage status of married female university students, where parents have
many hopes for university students. This chapter discusses the premarital
status of university students. Whereas 5.2 Premarital family status, 5.3
Financial status, 5.4 Educational opportunities, 5.5 Recreational
opportunities, 5.6 Individual freedom, 5.7 Health status and 5.8 Concludes the
discussion.

5.2 Premarital family status

Married female students attending university often encounter numerous
challenges when it comes to balancing their academic pursuits and family
responsibilities. This predicament significantly differs from their unmarried
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counterparts, as the transition from singlehood to married life brings about a
notable shift in their circumstances. Moreover, it is worth noting that even
prior to marriage, many female students in Bangladesh already face various
difficulties. Consequently, one can argue that these obstacles are further
compounded after marriage, exacerbating the struggles they initially
experienced. A case study is presented in this context:

Case Study - 01
Tuli, who goes by a pseudonym for privacy reasons, is currently 23 years old
and studying as a second-year undergraduate student at Jagannath University.
When discussing her married life, she emphasized the importance of her pre-
marriage status. According to her, “Before getting married, my family
dynamics were significantly more favorable compared to the post-marriage
period. Residing in the countryside, my family went to great lengths to ensure
that I had the opportunity to pursue my education in the city. Given that we
come from a background deeply rooted in agriculture, it was their concern that
a suitable match might not be readily available if I delayed my marriage.
Consequently, they sought my input, and I ultimately consented to their
wishes. Despite being the eldest child in the family and having a daughter, my
family continued to accept and respect my decision.”

Case Study - 2
Jahanara Khatun (pseudonym) age 24. She is a 3rd year undergraduate
student. She lives in Dhaka with her family, talking about marriage she says,
“During my second year of college, my family arranged for me to get married.
Despite living in a society that claims to be modern, my country still holds

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onto outdated beliefs and practices. Unfortunately, many of my friends have
also experienced similar situations when it comes to marriage. Our families
don't seem to care about our opinions or involve us in any decision-making
processes. I had hoped to finish my studies, secure a job, and then consider
marriage, but my aspirations were overruled by my family's choice.
Furthermore, even after getting married, my position within the family did not
improve.”

There are many similar situations whereas many students encounter

difficulties when they enroll in university due to their lack of familial
background or support.

5.3 Financial status

In Bangladesh, it is a common practice for female students to rely on financial
support from their families to cover all their expenses, including their
education. However, there are some students who choose to work as home
tutors during their studies in order to occupy their time. In such cases, these
students do not face any restrictions from their families, but they may
encounter difficulties when it comes to receiving financial assistance.
Nevertheless, despite these challenges, the families continue to support them
financially until the girls eventually get married. To illustrate this scenario, a
case study is presented:

Case Study - 3
Tinni Islam, who goes by a pseudonym, is currently 26 years old. Shee admits
that she used to rely on financial assistance to cover his study expenses, which

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proved to be tremendously helpful. Specifically, her monthly mess rent
amounted to 3000 taka, while his other incidental expenses added up to 5000
taka. Out of these expenses, 3000 taka was graciously provided by her family,
while the remaining 2000 taka was obtained from her tuition salary. However,
there were instances when she had to turn to her family for additional funds,
as she believes that if she had gotten married earlier, she would not have faced
such financial hardships. In our society, it is commonly observed that parents
do not consider it burdensome to bear the expenses associated with a son's
education, but when it comes to a daughter, it becomes a significant financial
strain for them. As a result, most parents desire to marry off their daughters at
an earlier age. While it is possible to seek financial support from the family,
it becomes increasingly challenging to obtain it after getting married.

5.4 Educational opportunities

In Bangladesh, it is widely acknowledged that there exists a certain level of
hesitance within families when it comes to promoting women's education.
This reluctance is evident not only during the period leading up to marriage
but also persists afterwards. However, it is worth noting that individuals
involved in this study mentioned that women had more opportunities to pursue
education before entering into matrimonial bonds. To illustrate this point
further, a specific case study is provided:

Case Study - 4
Neela Roy, who goes by a pseudonym, is 25 years old. When asked about how
she managed to pursue her studies after getting married, she explained that
she had ample time to dedicate to her education before tying the knot. There

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was not much pressure to engage in household chores or other responsibilities,
as she resided in a university hall. Consequently, she was able to allocate a
significant portion of her day, approximately 8 to 9 hours, solely for studying.
Prior to her marriage, she utilized this allocated time to focus solely on her
academic pursuits. However, within her family dynamics, her brother was
given more priority when it came to education. Despite this, Neela persevered
and continued her studies with determination until she completed her
education.

5.5 Recreational opportunities

There are significant differences between pre-marriage and post-marriage life.
A student may not participate in various formal activities after marriage.
According to the majority of the informants, they had some opportunity for
recreation prior to marriage. In this context, an informant stated, "Before
marriage, I used to travel whenever I wanted, I used to participate in any event,
and I did not leave out dancing and singing." This indicates that they had
ample opportunities and time for recreation following their marriage.

5.6 Individual freedom

In this context, one of the informants said that their personal freedom is comic.
They also said that if they want to do something, they have to listen to it from
home. To illustrate this scenario, a case study is presented:

Case Study-5
Mim Rahman (pseudonym) age 25. she says, "I got married in my third year
of graduation. Personal freedom was greater before marriage than after

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marriage. I was free to move around at the time. There were obligations, but
they could be disregarded at times. This is no longer possible. I used to go for
walks, but I can't anymore."

5.7 Health status

The term "health" refers to physical fitness. According to the informants,
before marriage, they did not have to worry about their own health because
their parents did. Many people claimed that because they stayed in hostels,
they were unable to take care of their health, but when they returned home,
their parents always looked after them.

5.8 Conclusion
The primary focus of this chapter is on married women students' pre-marriage
status. It is clear from the data analysis that the informants had to deal with a
number of challenges when they were single. However, they typically had
family support. Female students were free to pursue their education without
any obligations. The following chapter discusses post-marital status.

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 Chapter Six
Post Marital Status

6.1 Introduction
Nowadays, women are not behind. They are contributing to their own success
by working in a variety of factories for public and private organizations.
Women's roles are evident even in the nation's politics.

However, social perception holds that a girl child cannot match herself
because of a lack of social awareness until she is enrolled in the fifth, sixth,
or seventh grade. In this sense, parents also bear a lot of the blame. A lot of
low-income parents are unable to pay for their kids' education. They aim to
gain independence through marriage. Consequently, getting married young
not only brings about chaos in the world but also disaster in the life of the
young bride. The gullible guardians get ready to wed the poverty curse of
their family. They even get the marriage done as yearly as possible. Again,
the parents of the female students get up to marry them off when they get to
university. According to them, if you are older, you will not be able to marry
later. Additionally, the informants stated that parents believe that a person can
continue their education well after getting married. The reality, however, is
very different, according to informants. Things get more complicated after
marriage. This chapter primarily emphasizes the issues that the informants'
marriages caused them to experience. Whereas 6.2 Limited amount of time to
study, 6.3 Taking Care of Childs, 6.4 A potential lack of Entertainment, 6.5
Financial Crisis and the Conclusion is made in 6.6.

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6.2 Limited time or opportunity for study
According to the informants, the most significant issue encountered after
marriage is a lack of time for studies. Numerous individuals are admitted for
each semester, but they are unable to attend any classes. Taking care of their
children and managing the family are two different things they must do. As a
result, there is no opportunity to study. In this context, a case is presented:

Case Study - 6
Nusrat Faria (pseudonym), age 25. She said, "I got married in the second year
of my graduation. My parents reside in my hometown village, while I attend
university in the Dhaka. They believed that it was the right choice for me to
get married young rather than for me to go away and study alone. Even so, I
wanted to graduate,to get married at the very end because I feared that if I wed
at earlier age, I might not have as much time as I used to for studying. My
thought of marriage became reality. Since the start of our marriage, my
husband's work and my studies have required us to live in Dhaka, it was not a
huge issue at first. It wasn't too difficult at first because the only changes was I
had to cook for two people. However, after having a daughter, I never got the
chance to study for even an hour a day. Not only I can not attend classes on a
regular basis, sometimes I fail to take the exams. In addition, I finishes my
exams early, answers four questions instead of the exam's five questions to
returned home quickly to look after my girl."

Case study-7
Taniya Khatun (pseudonym) is 24 years old. "My family married me off a
year before graduation," she says. They feared that a good chance for marriage

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would be lost. They didn't even consider my studies. As a result, due to my
lack of attendance and activities required to complete the research monograph,
I was not supervised for my fourth-year research monograph submission.
Because I was working under a supervisor, I had to adhere to the supervisor's
schedule, which was impossible for me. This was primarily due to the fact that
I was pregnant at the time. Moreover, my husband does not help me in any
work. As a consequence, I finished my exams & my assignments poorly."

Female students have the opportunity to study before marriage, but after
marriage, they no longer have that opportunity. He must solve various
problems before taking the exam. They can't always pass the exam, so his
dream of getting a job in the future has to be buried.

6.3 Taking Care of Childs

The most significant problem facing female students after marriage is raising
a child. In Bangladesh, a lot of students leave college or university early after
getting married in order to raise their kids. These married female students
claim that Bangladeshi women won't be able to focus on their careers until
given the opportunity to do so. If men participate equally in family or raising
kids, it will be easier for women. According to informants, a female student
in this country is considered ready for marriage as soon as she completes
college and enrolls university. Thus, the prospective student's plans for the
future end there. Furthermore, the intention of having children begins on the
day of marriage. Nonetheless, the informants state that the majority of married
female students become pregnant within a year of getting married. In this
instance, the husband offers no assistance whatsoever to enable her continue

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her education. As a consequence of this, the female student has to manage her
studies, family, and children at the same time. At some point, many suddenly
quit studying, skip semesters, or occasionally just show up for tests in the
hopes of passing. In this context, a case study is presented:

Case Study-8
Jannatul Yasmin (pseudonym), age 23. In my first year of graduating, I got
married. In contrast, I had more opportunities before I got married. Before
getting married, my parents dealt with everything. But now that I'm married,
I have to look after both my kids and myself. My child is two years old. My
spouse's work requires him to be away from home, so I am the only one who
looks after my child. During exams, I bring my mother or mother-in-law home
home so that they can look after my child. And with that opportunity, I have
little time to study. After the examination, I rush to the child while the mother
waits outside with the child. Also, throughout the year, I am unable to attend
any classes. I've put in endless effort to raise my child. I am unable to see my
child's suffering no matter what I do. And for that reason, aside from classes,
I look after her full-time.

6.4 A potential lack of Entertainment

The informants claim that before getting married, a female student has little
personal freedom or leisure time. After marriage, it disappears because she is
now responsible for overseeing the entire family. She has to resume your
studies too. She is cut off from the outside world while caring for the child.
Additionally, the informants stated that in this nation's patriarchal social
structure, nobody is concerned about women. Married women students are

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more likely to be neglected there, which prevents them from having fun and
it affects their daily mental stress. They struggle to focus on their
education and a large number of them have mental health issues as a result of
their extreme stress.

6.5 Financial Crisis

Financial difficulties are, aside from other issues, the largest barrier or issue
that a married woman student must deal with. Because she had been
financially supported by her parents before getting married or because she had
paid for her own expenses from home tutoring. However, this picture changes
drastically after marriage. In this context, a case study is presented:

Case Study-9
Ruma Sultana (a pseudonym) is 26 years old. She said, "I got married during
my second year of graduation. Since my father unexpectedly passed away
during my first year, my mother helped to support me for a while, but it wasn't
easy for her. Later, I got married during my second year of exams. My mother
worried that she might not be able to provide for me on her own. And as soon
as possible, she set up my marriage because of this fear. My spouse moved
out of the nation and left me behind after just one month of marriage. Cut off
contact right away. He began mistreating me. At that point, he didn't even
send money for my child or me. Furthermore, I had problems at home. I was
completely broken mentally and financially. So somehow, I was doing a
tuition as a home tutor for months. I didn't take any of my classes in that
situation, because I was physically and mentally ill at that time. Later my
husband started contacting me again because he came to know that my baby

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is going to be a son. She said that in our society no one cares about women.
The men of this society only look out for their own interests, so these female
students have to face a terrible situation."

6.6 Conclusion
In this chapter, I have primarily attempted to draw focus on the challenges
that married women encounter. Which include Limited amount of time to
study, Taking Care of Childs, A potential lack of Entertainment, Financial
Crisis. Problems: Physical and mental issues that arise from marriage are
discussed in detail in the following chapter.

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 Chapter Seven
Mental and physical health problems of Undergraduate
Female Students
5.1 Introduction
In this study, a thorough investigation into the difficulties related to female
undergraduate students' physical and mental health has been conducted, with
an emphasis on Jagannath University undergraduate students specifically.
This investigation's focus is on married female students in recognition of their
special needs and vulnerabilities. The results highlight the significant
influence of marriage on these students' mental and physical health, revealing
a troubling link between marriage and the start of mental depression, which
can lead to a variety of health issues.

5.2 Causes of mental health problems of married undergraduate female

students
When I went to collect data through interviews in the research field, I observed
the expression of depression on the faces of most of the respondents. I
collected data from twenty married undergraduate female students’
respondents. In that case, based on the information given by them, I
understand that they are suffering from mental depression due to lack of time
& stress. Interviewing informants revealed that the main reason for the mental
depression they suffer from is the frustration of not being able to continue
their study properly. During the interview, an informant said, "My CGPA was
greater in first year of university. But now, I am not only unable to attend
classes, my exam score is also poor."

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Moreover, this is when my research revealed through interviews the effects of
mismatches, inconsistencies in marriage. During the interview, an informant
said, "I am a student of Chemistry department. I had a lot of desire to study &
conduct research on chemical pollution. But I got married in my first year of
university. I have a 2-year-old child. I cannot study due to lack of time and
responsibility."

Another respondent said, "I got married two years ago. My spouse lives in a
foreign country. As a result, I have to look after my children and continue my
study at the same time. Sometimes, I got depressed. Overthinking causes
headaches. But still have confidence in myself, let's see i will raise my child
and finish my study too.”

5.3 Types of mental health problems

After enrolling university, a female student hopes to study hard, achieve a
good result, so that she can get a good job. But her dreams broke for early
marriage. Suddenly, she gains a lot of responsibility, at this time various types
of mental problems arise in her.

Based on the information obtained from the interview, I noticed that almost
everyone is suffering from mental problems. When I interact with them
through questions, almost all of them told me about their mental problems.
An informant said I had high hopes for education, but now i worried about
raising my children. I have dizziness, headaches due to various tensions, I
can't sleep at night and I don't want to talk to anyone. The mood becomes
irritable due to lack of sleep at night."

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5.4 Classification of mental health problems

The respondents suffer from various types of mental health problems. Data
presented in the table below:

Types of problems Respondents Percentage

Mental pressure 16 80%
Mental anxiety 11 55%
Excessive temper 9 45%
Helplessness 7 35%

Table 5: Types and classification of mental health problems

A respondent from the department of Zoology said, "I have obtained CGPA
3.71 out of 4.00 in my first three years of university and i had only one more
year to complete my graduation. But now there is no value of these result. I
got married recently, due to marital responsibilities i couldn’t attend any
classes in my final semester. After four years of academic studies, I won’t be
able to complete my graduation in time. Thinking about this, I am sometimes
confused and feel helpless."

Based on the information obtained during the interview from the respondents,
when they suffer from excessive stress, their mood becomes irritable, they
cannot control their mood, behavior.

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5.5 Physical health problems of the respondents
Based on the information obtained during the interviews to collect the data for
my research, what I understood is that almost all the respondents are stressed,
depressed, and anxious; They suffer from various health problems. A female
respondent said while interviewing, "I look after my child day to night, so the
spots under my eyes are forming. I can't eat a good meal whenever I want. I
can't take care of my body. My hair is falling out from the tension.
That is, all the respondents have to face innumerable problems. As a result,
many times they suffer from various diseases.

5.6 Types of physical problems

All the informants I have selected in my research and collected data through
interviews suffer from extreme psychological. Due to this various physical
ailment occur. Such as: headache, lack of sleep, palpitations, high blood
pressure, eye pain, body weakness and loss of appetite, etc.

5.7 Classification of physical health problems

The respondents suffer from various types of physical health problems. Data
presented in the table below:
Types of problems Respondents Percentage
Headache 16 80%

Palpitations 9 45%

Eye pain 11 55%

Body weakness 9 45%

Loss of appetite 8 40%

Table 6: Classification of physicalhealth problems

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Based on the data obtained in the study, we can understand that due to mental
stress, various types of physical problems occur in the informants.

5.8 Conclusion
The Post marital condition affects the mental health and physical health of the
married undergraduate female students and causes various types of problems
to the married undergraduate female students. These issues are covered in this
chapter through a table based on the statistical description. Also tried to show
the data through graphs.

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 Chapter Eight
Recommendations and Conclusion
8.1 Recommendations

Women's access to higher education is either restricted or impossible to obtain

in many post-marriage issues. Even so, there isn't much of a difference
between the proportion of men and women obtaining primary education.
However, women's participation in higher education education is
disappointing. Due to child marriage and other socioeconomic factors, girl
children begin to drop out of secondary school at the beginning of their
studies. Before successfully completing their secondary education, the
majority of girl children in the nation are forced to end their education by
becoming involved in child marriages. Once more with regard to higher
education, female ambitions for the future fall apart when they marry before
they reach adulthood.

The majority of the informants in this area believe that a family's thoughts
should only be focused on her studies after getting married. Getting married
requires giving up on the idea of having to drop out of school, doing only
housework, and not taking on any outside employment. They should also be
allowed the chance to set aside time for independent study. In this instance,
everyone—men or women—should believe they are on an equal footing.
These married female students must take care of their health in addition to
balancing their studies, families, and kids. In order to prevent them from
experiencing financial difficulties, her husband ought to be extremely
amiable. Above all, these students will also see the light of hope if all members
of the family adopt new perspectives and a cooperative mindset.

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8.2 Conclusion

Our society is patriarchal society. Patriarchy also binds women in this society.
Because of this, people from rural to urban areas still have reservations about
women getting an education in our nation. Although the nation is modern,
there was once social dogma regarding women's education and the wearing of
head coverings. However, this dogma has not yet been completely eradicated.
Men still believe that women don't need an education or a job because, after
all, they will manage the home and live off of their husbands' earnings after
marriage. And as a result, families force their entire household—including
children—upon women without considering the importance of proper
education, good health, or satisfying entertainment. Because of this
patriarchal system, women give up on their education. or leave college before
its time. But even when she was accepted to the university, her aspirations
were lofty, and she had to give them up right away after getting married. For
this reason, women's education needs to be prioritized in order to create a
potential nation. It is important to look after his physical and mental well-
being. More thought reform is required.
After that, the married female undergraduate students' social status consists of
pressure from family, opinions from relatives, a crisis in self-identity, and so
forth.

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