Should India Relax Its Adoption Procedures Amidst Rising Demand and Legal Complexities?
Why in News?
The Hindu recently conducted a detailed panel discussion based on findings from the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), highlighting the challenges in India’s adoption system. Despite thousands of orphans, only 1,200–2,000 children are legally available for adoption. The conversation, moderated by Priscilla Jebaraj, included adoption experts Aloma Lobo and Smriti Gupta, exploring whether India should ease adoption procedures to address the long waiting period and unmet demand.
Introduction 
India’s adoption ecosystem faces critical inefficiencies. Over 3.1 crore children are orphans according to the 2020 WCD report, but adoptive parents often wait months or years due to a lack of legally available children. The conversation highlights the pressing need to balance speed and sensitivity in adoption laws, ensuring child safety while avoiding unethical practices.
Key Issues and Institutional Concerns
1. Mismatch Between Supply and Demand
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Smriti Gupta points out that delays stem not from CARA’s procedure, but from the time it takes to identify children eligible for adoption.
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Many children in shelters are not legally free for adoption because their parents haven’t relinquished rights, or paperwork is incomplete.
2. Checks and Balances to Prevent Abuse
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Aloma Lobo stresses that stringent checks exist to prevent child trafficking and illegal adoptions, as seen in past cases where children were adopted without legal clearance.
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These protections are vital because children are vulnerable to abuse, especially in hospitals and nursing homes.
3. High Demand for Adoptable Children Under 5 Years
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Adoptive parents often prefer young, healthy children, especially babies.
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Older children and those with special needs are less likely to be chosen, creating a disparity in demand vs availability.
4. Legal Status and Social Stigma
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The term “orphan” is misleading. Many children classified as such may still have living parents.
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Social stigma and fear of legal repercussions prevent biological parents from legally surrendering children.
5. Need for Parent Education and Counselling
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Many prospective adoptive parents have unrealistic expectations or limited understanding of the adoption process.
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Experts call for more training, sessions, and support groups to prepare them for the long-term responsibilities of parenting adopted children.
Conclusion
While the desire to relax adoption procedures is rooted in compassion, the risks of abuse and trafficking necessitate a cautious approach. The focus should be on improving documentation, legal processes, and awareness, not on removing safeguards. Increasing legal availability of children and reforming public understanding are critical to making adoption more accessible and ethical in India.
Q&A Section
Q1. Why do so few children end up in the legal adoption pool despite there being so many orphans in India?
A: Most children in shelters are not legally free for adoption due to incomplete paperwork or because their parents haven’t formally surrendered them.
Q2. Are CARA’s strict procedures responsible for the delays in adoption?
A: No, delays are mainly caused by the time it takes to match a child with adoptive parents and to legally process children into the adoption pool.
Q3. Why is there such high demand for babies under 5 years old in adoption?
A: Adoptive parents often want young children, especially babies, which leads to a supply-demand mismatch, especially since older children and those with special needs are less preferred.
Q4. What are the dangers of relaxing adoption procedures too much?
A: Looser procedures could increase risks of child trafficking, illegal adoptions, and unethical placements without safeguarding the child’s well-being.
Q5. What reforms are needed to improve the adoption system in India?
A: Reforms should focus on digitizing child records, increasing awareness, supporting biological families in legal surrender, and educating adoptive parents about responsibilities.
