Minister of State for Women and Child Development (WCD) also informed Rajya Sabha that a total 62,592 children are living in Child Care Institutions (CCIs) including Open Shelter, Specialized Adoption Agency, Observation Home, etc.

Child Adoption in India

• Nodal Ministry: Union Ministry of WCD
• Primary legislation: Adoption in India is primarliy governed by JJ Act, 2015 (Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015) which seeks to ensure safety, security, dignity and wellbeing of children in need of care and protection.
• Nodal Central Agency: Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), established under the JJ Act, regulates domestic and intercountry adoptions, and implementing the Hague Convention.
  • Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (1993) ensures ethical, legal, and transparent international adoptions while preventing child trafficking.
• Responsibility of States/UTs: states and UTs implement the JJ Act through institutions like 
  • State Adoption Resource Agencies (SARA) 
  • local Child Welfare Committees 
  • District Child Protection Units (DCPUs)

Challenges in child adoption in India

• Bureaucratic Delays: Average adoption waiting period continues to be more than a year. 
• Age/Ability Bias: Older children and those with disabilities face lower adoption rates.
• Prejudices and high social stigma: Most Indians have a skewed perception of adoption as they want “their genes, blood and lineage in their child.