Family is the most important social institution in India.

 Functions of the family

•  Primary function- Some of the functions of family are basic to its continued existence.
•  Production and rearing of the child
•  Provision of home
•  Instrument of culture transmission
•  Status ascribing function
•   Agency of social control

• Secondary function

• Economic functions: With economic advancements, family has become more consuming unit than a producing one. Members are engaged in earning wages for ensuring socio-economic well-being of the family.
• Educational functions: Family provides the basis for the child’s formal learning. In spite of great changes, the family still gives the child his basic training in the social attitudes
• and habits important to adult participation in social life
• Religious functions: Family is a center for the religious training of the children. The children learn from their parents various religious virtues.
• Recreational functions: Family provides the opportunities to parents and children for engaging in various recreational activities such as playing indoor games, dancing,
• singing, reading etc.

Structural and functional changes in the Indian family system

With the advent of industrial civilization with modern technology the structure and functions of the family fatedly changed. Today most of the traditional activities of the family were transferred to outside agencies; this further weakening the bonds that in the past kept the family together. There occurred a reduction in the educational, recreational, religious and protective functions of the family which have been more or less taken over by various institutions and agencies created for that purpose.

Some of the major changes in the Indian family system are discussed below:

• Changes in family: Family which was a principal unit of production has been transformed in the consumption unit. Instead of all members working together in an integrated economic enterprise, a few male members go out of the home to earn the family’s living. These affected family relations.
• Factory employment: It has freed young adults from direct dependence upon their families. This functional independence of the youngsters has weakened the authority of the head of the house hold over those earning members. In many cities even women too joined men in working outside the families on salary basis.
• Influence of urbanization: Various sociologists have revealed that the city life is more favorable to small nuclear families than to big joint families. Thus, urban living weakens
• joint family pattern and strengthens nuclear family patterns.
• Legislative measures: Prohibition of early marriage and fixing the minimum age of marriage by the child marriage Restraint Act, 1929, and the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 have
• lengthened the period of education. Even other legislations such as the Widow Remarriage Act, 1856, Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, Hindu succession Act, 1956, all have modified inter personal relations within the family, the composition of the family and the stability of the joint family.
• Changes in marriage system: Changes in the age of marriage, freedom in mate-selection and change in the attitude towards marriage has diminished marriage is not very much considered a religious affair but only a social ceremony. Modern marriage does not symbolize the superior authority of the family head over other members.
• Influence of western values: Values relating to modern science, rationalism, individualism, equality, free life, democracy, freedom of women etc. have exerted a tremendous change on the joint family system in India.
• Changes in the position of women: Main factor causing changes in the position of women in our society lie in her changing economic role. New economic role provided a new position in society and especially with respect to men.

The family is fountainhead of the societal values. Preserving this institution should be accorded the highest priority in the present time of globalized world.