Why in News: India faces a paradox in adoption: while over 30,000 prospective parents await adoption, only around 2,000 children are legally free for adoption, as per CARA data.
Child Adoption Crisis in India –
- Huge Demand-Supply Gap: For every 1 child legally free for adoption, 13 prospective parents wait (up from 11.1 in 2021).
- Increasing Wait Time: Average wait has grown from 1 year (2017) to 5 years (2025), due to slower referrals.
Legal Provisions on Adoption in India: 1. Key Laws
- Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956
- Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (including Model Rules 2016 & Adoption Regulations 2017)
2. Fundamental Principles:
- Paramount consideration is the best interests of the child.
- Preference to place the child with Indian citizens, keeping the child’s socio-cultural environment intact as far as possible.
3. Regulatory Body:
- Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) acts as the nodal agency for adoption in India.
4. Adoption Management System:
CARA maintains CARINGS (Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System), a centralized database for:
- Registration of prospective adoptive parents
- Data of children legally free for adoption
Arguments Against Relaxing Adoption Procedures:
1. Prevention of Trafficking: Strict checks are vital to avoid child trafficking and illegal placements.
2. Demand-Supply Mismatch: Delays stem from most parents wanting healthy infants, while many available children are older or have special needs.
3. Parental Preparedness: Quick placements, especially of special needs children, risk rejection if parents are unprepared.
4. Insufficient Counseling: Current home studies lack depth; earlier counseling ensured better readiness.
5. Child-Centric Approach: Relaxing procedures may compromise child safety and well-being.
Areas for Reform (Without Relaxation):
1. Expand Adoption Pool: Many shelter children are not assessed; digitization and proactive evaluations can increase legally adoptable children.
2. Mandatory Training & Counseling: Introduce compulsory training and psychological support for adoptive parents, modeled on international standards.
3. Improve Inter-Agency Coordination: Better collaboration between child welfare committees, shelters, and CARA can reduce delays.
4. Leverage Technology: Use digital platforms for case tracking, data management, and faster clearances.
5. Promote Awareness: Educate prospective parents about adopting older and special needs children to reduce bias.
6. Streamline Legal Processes: Simplify paperwork and decision-making timelines without lowering safety standards
UPSC RELEVANCE
GS Paper II – Governance, Social Justice, Welfare Schemes
- Issues relating to children and vulnerable sections
GS Paper I – Indian Society
- Issues related to children
Mains Practice Question
Q. Despite thousands of prospective parents waiting to adopt, the number of children legally free for adoption remains abysmally low in India. What are the key factors behind this paradox? Critically examine and suggest reform-oriented solutions without compromising child welfare.