Are You Ready For Marriage? This Goa College Is Teaching Adults How To Stay Happily Married

A college in Goa has introduced 15-day certificate course on marriage readiness to help youth understand responsibilities of married life. Titled 'Marriage Readiness: Preparing for Healthy and Lasting Relationships', the course will run in December. 

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Why young people need to prepare for married life

We spend years preparing for a career. We study, earn degrees, attend interviews and learn new skills before stepping into the professional world. But when it comes to marriage, one of the biggest decisions of our lives, how much time do we actually spend preparing?

For many people, the preparation begins and ends with planning a wedding. Choosing a venue, finalising outfits, making guest lists and organising ceremonies often take months. But what about preparing for the life that begins after the wedding? Understanding a partner, managing expectations, handling disagreements and accepting responsibilities are equally important, yet these aspects rarely receive the same attention.

A college in Goa is now attempting to change this approach by introducing a certificate course on marriage readiness, encouraging young people to think beyond wedding celebrations and understand what it takes to build a healthy, lasting relationship.

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Goa College introduces 15-day marriage readiness course

The Goa College of Home Science has introduced a certificate course titled Marriage Readiness: Preparing for Healthy and Lasting Relationships. Organised by its Department of Human Development and Family Studies, the 15-day programme will run from December 2 to 17, 2026.

Principal Mahesh Pai told PTI that the course is designed to help participants understand the different aspects of marriage and the responsibilities that come with it.

He explained that marriage readiness is not simply about preparing for a wedding. It involves understanding oneself, one's partner, relationships, commitment and the responsibilities of married life.

The programme aims to give participants an opportunity to explore these aspects and develop a better understanding of what makes a relationship healthy and sustainable.

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Do you really need to prepare for marriage?

The college's brochure raises an interesting question about how people prepare for different stages of life.

"We invest almost 20 years in preparing for a career, but how much time do we invest in preparing for a marriage or family life, which usually makes up more of your life than a career?" it asks.

The question highlights a gap in how people approach marriage. While education and professional development involve years of preparation, many people enter married life without necessarily understanding the emotional, personal and practical responsibilities involved.

Marriage readiness, therefore, is about developing realistic expectations rather than treating marriage as an event or a social milestone. It encourages individuals to understand their own needs, recognise differences between partners and appreciate the importance of communication and mutual commitment.

The course is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students, unmarried young adults and others interested in developing healthy relationships or preparing for marriage.

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Course comes after Goa CM's pre-marriage counselling announcement

The initiative comes days after Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced that the state government intends to introduce pre-marriage counselling across Goa.

Speaking at an event in Panaji on Sunday, Sawant said the proposed initiative would aim to reduce divorces by encouraging couples to understand marriage and its responsibilities before getting married.

The announcement has brought greater attention to the importance of preparing couples for married life, rather than focusing only on wedding arrangements.

According to figures from the state law department, more than 3,000 marriage and divorce-related petitions were filed in Goa's civil courts between 2022 and 2025. The state recorded 947 such petitions in 2024 alone.

While these figures cover marriage and divorce-related petitions and do not represent divorce cases alone, they underline the volume of matrimonial matters reaching the state's civil courts.

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What will students learn in the marriage readiness course?

The course brochure lists several topics that explore relationships from different perspectives. These include Dating: Understanding Its Purpose and Dynamics, Self-Awareness and the Need to Belong, and Exploring Masculinity and Femininity and Its Influence on Relationships.

Another interesting topic is Wedding Versus Marriage: Understanding the Difference. It focuses on the distinction between the celebration of a wedding and the long-term commitment that follows it.

The sessions are intended to encourage participants to think about personal identity, emotional needs, relationships and the expectations people bring into marriage.

Ultimately, the idea behind the course is simple: getting married and being prepared for marriage are two different things. A wedding may last a day or a few days, but the relationship it celebrates requires understanding, patience, communication and commitment over many years.

(With inputs from agencies)