Adopt better strategy for ease of adoption

Even as India records its highest adoption numbers in over a decade, crossing 4,500 in 2024-25, the process remains slow. Demand far outstrips supply - over 35,500 waiting parents vs 2,400 available children. Two legislations deal with it: Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act 1956, and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000. Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) serves as both central and nodal authority for both domestic and international adoptions of Indian children. 2021 amendments to Juvenile Justice Act intended to speed up adoption by shifting authority from courts to DMs. But without clear timelines for pending cases, delays continue.

Another key issue is lack of children entering the formal adoption system. A 2022 parliamentary committee said this decline signals either a thriving illegal adoption market, or systemic failures in bringing orphaned or abandoned children into registered agencies. Many childcare homes remain unregulated and disconnected from adoption networks, rendering thousands of children invisible to prospective parents. Society's attitude towards adoption adds to the problem. Many couples, often in their late 40s-50s, consider it as a last resort after exhausting medical options. This urgency can push them toward illegal channels rather than navigating a tedious legal process.

While strict regulations protect child rights, the system needs urgent reform to balance oversight with efficiency. Streamlining case transfers, setting deadlines for adoption orders and bringing more childcare institutions under CARA's ambit will help. Making adoption a more accessible and transparent process is about giving thousands of children a real shot at having a happy, normal life.