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New Indian Express
26-07-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
West Bengal sees highest pendency as over 2,700 children await adoption across India
NEW DELHI: As many as 2,768 children are currently awaiting adoption in the country, with West Bengal allegedly reporting the highest number of such pendency, followed by Uttar Pradesh, government data has shown. Despite the Adoption Regulation, 2022, mentioning timelines for authorities and agencies in handling adoption matters, the process continues to take time as it involves multiple stakeholders. According to data from the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), a nodal body mandated to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions, West Bengal has the highest pendency, with 352 adoption cases. It is followed by Uttar Pradesh (318), Odisha (262), Maharashtra (250), Telangana (201), Bihar (196), Delhi (176), Madhya Pradesh (139), Andhra Pradesh (128), Punjab (112), Karnataka (106), Rajasthan (75), Tamil Nadu (53) and Kerala (45). Officials said the referral and adoption of a child depend upon the preference made by the Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs) regarding the child's age, health condition, and state during online registration on the CARINGS portal, leading to delays in some cases.
The Hindu
18-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
For every child free for adoption, 13 parents wait in line : Data
For years now, the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) — the country's nodal adoption agency — has struggled to effectively manage adoptions. While a significant number of parents are willing to adopt, only a limited number of children are legally cleared for adoption. This imbalance has not gone unnoticed. In 2022, a Parliamentary panel called this imbalance a 'paradoxical situation,' and in 2023, the Supreme Court 'expressed displeasure' over the time-consuming adoption process. Latest data obtained through a Right To Information application filed by The Hindu show that the asymmetry continues even in 2025, and the gap has widened further. In 2021, 26,734 prospective parents registered in the CARA portal, and 2,430 children were legally free for adoption. In other words, there were 11 prospective parents for every child free for adoption in 2021. As of mid-July 2025, the number of prospective parents has grown to 36,381 — an increase of about 9,600 from 2021 — while the number of children legally free for adoption has increased to 2,652 — only 222 more than in 2021. Currently, there are 13 prospective parents for every child free for adoption as shown in the chart below. The rise in the number of prospective parents could be one reason behind the growing gap. 'The number of people opting for adoption has substantially increased. Issues such as infertility are no longer the only reasons why parents consider adoption', said Gayatri Abraham, the founder of Padme, a comprehensive adoption resource platform for Indian parents. Still, in a country where an estimated 3.1 crore children were orphans according to the 2020 World Orphan Report, the fact that only a couple of thousands were identified as free for adoption is difficult to justify. Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and West Bengal accounted for over 50% of prospective parents in 2025, as shown in the chart below. The average delay for prospective parents to get an adoption referral has increased from one year in 2017 to three years by 2022, to about 3.5 years currently. If CARA does not act soon, the delay will increase further in the coming years and 'force parents to adopt a child illegally', as warned by the Parliamentary Committee. The Juvenile Justice Act (2021) lists out a time-bound procedure for a child in Child Care Institutions (CCI) to be declared legally free for adoption. Yet, the status of its implementation remains questionable. 'There are so many stakeholders on the ground. Nobody is held accountable for not implementing', says Smriti Gupta, co-founder of Where Are India's Children, a Child Welfare and Action Foundation. She said that implementation could be a huge challenge due to resource limitations, lack of training, and a gap in linkages between adoption agencies and the CCIs. She added that the idea that every child deserves a family is not strong in India. Data shows that over 22,000 children are in the CCIs, 8.5 times more than the number of children legally free for adoption, in 2025 (2,652). The children in the CCIs include those orphaned, abandoned, surrendered by parents and those who have parents/guardians who are unfit for parenting or do not visit them. The process of declaring children in the CCIs as legally free for adoption remains a grey area. Smriti Gupta explained, 'There are children whose parents keep them in the shelter because of economic issues. They might occasionally visit them. There is another set of kids who are completely abandoned/orphaned. Then, there are these kids in the middle, who have a guardian/parent on paper. And this person never visits the child, but exists only on paper. CARA is pushing to evaluate children with no visitation and an unfit parent/guardian, but needs a lot of follow up and follow through.' Because of these complexities, not every child in the CCIs can be made free for adoption. Even after accounting for that, the gap between the number of children in these institutions and those entering the adoption pool is still quite high. For instance, in Himachal Pradesh, only one child is legally free for adoption in 2025, whereas 829 are in the CCIs, as shown in the chart below. In Maharashtra, only 236 children are legally free for adoption, while 5,284 are in the CCIs. It will be a big leap to assume that these gaps are only due to the complexities stated above and the delay needs to be audited. The delay in declaring children legally free for adoption reduces their chances of getting adopted. Close to 34% of the children currently in the adoption pool fall in the 14-18 age group. As the Parliamentary Committee had stated, 'older children and children with special needs are usually not preferred for adoption by Indian parents'. Moreover, delay would make it harder for the child, who has been in the institution for so long, to adapt as well. The longer wait times also have an impact on the registered prospective parents. Gayatri said, 'Many parents start looking for children in the 0-2 group. Then, they see the waitline is three years, and become anxious. They then become willing to make the switch to adopt slightly older children, willing to jump the queue. Waitline shouldn't be the reason one changes categories, especially not while going through the process.' Sources: RTI reply received from the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the 2020 Orphan Report (INSAMER), and 'Review of Guardianship and Adoption Laws', by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances and Law sambavi.p@ vignesh.r@
The Hindu
17-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
CARA asks State adoption agencies to strengthen counselling process
The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) has issued comprehensive directions to all State Adoption Resource Agencies (SARAs) to strengthen and institutionalise structured counselling services throughout the adoption process — from pre-adoption, to during adoption, and post-adoption stages. These directions have been issued via a communication dated July 7 under the powers conferred by the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2021), and are aligned with the provisions laid down under the Adoption Regulations, 2022, an official statement said here on Thursday. CARA is a statutory body of the Ministry of Women and Child Development which acts as the nodal agency for the adoption of Indian children, both within the country and internationally. This latest initiative aims to reinforce the psychosocial support framework for all key stakeholders — prospective adoptive parents (PAPs), adopted children, and biological parents who surrender their child for adoption. Critical component CARA has emphasised that counselling is a critical component of the adoption process and is necessary to ensure emotional preparedness, smooth transition, and long-term well-being of both the children and the families involved. The memorandum reiterates the mandatory nature of structured and need-based counselling services, as prescribed under various provisions of the Adoption Regulations, 2022. The State adoption boards have been instructed to designate or empanel qualified counsellors at the district and State levels. These professionals should ideally have a background in child psychology, mental health, or social work. It has been made mandatory to provide pre-adoption counselling to prospective adoptive parents during the Home Study Report (HSR) process, in accordance with Regulation 10(7). Additionally, older children must receive counselling support both before and during the adoption process, the statement said. It said post-adoption counselling is to be provided in specific situations, such as when an adopted child initiates a root search to trace their origins, in cases of non-adjustment between the child and adoptive family, or in any situation indicating potential disruption or dissolution of the adoption. The directions also include provisions for psychosocial intervention in any other circumstances as assessed by the Specialised Adoption Agencies (SAAs) or District Child Protection Units (DCPUs).
India Today
17-07-2025
- General
- India Today
Bombay High Court dismisses Indian couple's plea to adopt American nephew
In an unprecedented case where an American child was to be adopted by his uncle and aunt from Pune, the Bombay High Court noted that there is no provision in the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act or the Adoption Regulations for the adoption of a child of foreign citizenship, even by relatives, unless the child is either 'in need of care and protection' or a 'child in conflict with law.' The court thus dismissed the plea of the childless bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Dr. Neela Gokhale observed that the petitioners argued that in the absence of any specific provision, the court, under its extraordinary jurisdiction, has the power to permit such an adoption and issue directions to the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA). However, the court rejected this case involved a couple residing in Pune, both Indian citizens, who sought to adopt a US-born minor who is the biological child of the petitioner-wife's sister. The child was born in America in 2019 but has been living with the couple in Pune. The couple approached CARA to formalise the adoption, but CARA refused to register them on the grounds that the Adoption Regulations do not provide for the adoption of an American citizen. The petitioners, who profess the Muslim faith, do not have a codified personal law governing Shirin Merchant, appearing for the couple, submitted that their additional concern was that US authorities might refuse to renew the child's passport without a valid adoption order, rendering his stay in India potentially petitioners pointed out that the child is now six years old, attends school in India, and is required to travel to the US every year to renew his to do so could result in him becoming an illegal migrant in India. Therefore, considering the child's stability, identity and future prospects, they requested the Court to allow the petition and direct CARA to give its clearance for the CARA stated that while it was sympathetic to the petitioners' predicament, it is bound by the prevailing legal Y S Bhate submitted that while regulations exist for couples from foreign countries adopting Indian children, this was a rare case involving an American child being adopted by Indian citizens, something that has not occurred submitted that neither the JJ Act nor the Adoption Regulations apply to the adoption of a child who is an American further stated that, in such circumstances, CARA cannot give clearance for the adoption unless the child is first adopted in the US under its applicable proposed a solution: the petitioners could adopt the child in the US as per American laws or the child could apply for Indian citizenship through the the surrender of the child by his biological parents, adoption could then be facilitated in India under the JJ Act and prevailing Adoption the couple declined this suggestion, the bench, in its order dismissing the plea, stated: "There is no fundamental right of the petitioners to adopt an American child, who does not fall within the applicability of the JJ Act and the Regulations thereunder, even if he is born to Indian parents. Neither is there any violation of any fundamental right of the child of American nationality to be adopted by an Indian citizen. The predicament of the petitioners can be easily resolved in the manner suggested by CARA."- EndsTune InMust Watch
News18
17-07-2025
- General
- News18
States told to strengthen counselling support throughout adoption process
Agency: New Delhi, Jul 17 (PTI) The Central Adoption Resource Authority has asked the state-level adoption agencies to institutionalise counselling services at every stage of the process for all the stakeholders involved. PTI had first reported this development on July 9. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of Women and Child Development said that it has instructed the state adoption resource agencies to designate or empanel qualified counsellors at both state and district levels. Counselling support will now be mandatory for prospective adoptive parents, adopted children, and biological parents surrendering their children for adoption, it said. In particular, counselling is to be provided to prospective parents during the Home Study Report process, to older children during the transition, and in post-adoption cases like root searches or non-adjustment in families. Biological parents must also be counselled about the finality of their decision and the child's right to know their origins, it said. PTI UZM RUK RUK Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
