What is the main demographic reason for stressing delayed marriage of girls in the National Population Policy?

Correct answer: Limiting the reproductive span

The direct answer is B: delayed marriage can shorten the period during which a woman may have children, thereby reducing the likelihood of very early and repeated births. The demographic link is straightforward: if childbearing begins later, there may be fewer years available for successive pregnancies, especially when births are also properly spaced. Delayed marriage can also support education, health, maturity, and informed decision-making, although the question asks specifically for the demographic reason. A is wrong because delaying marriage does not aim to reduce literacy; education is generally encouraged. C is unrelated to the reproductive span. D is wrong because reducing the sex ratio is not a population-policy goal. This point must be understood with rights and health, not coercion. Memory cue: “later marriage, shorter reproductive span, fewer early births.”