Bengaluru: The state government has reiterated the importance of legal adoption as a structured process aimed at rehabilitating orphaned, abandoned, and destitute children by placing them in stable family environments. The initiative seeks to ensure the overall well-being of children by providing them with the love and care of a family. Children often lose parental support due to unfortunate circumstances such as abandonment or neglect. Without a proper support system, these children remain vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, and deprivation of their fundamental rights. The adoption process facilitates their secure upbringing in a nurturing environment, shielding them from such adversities.

To adopt a child, prospective parents must meet specific eligibility criteria and submit the required documentation, including proof of age, residence proof, medical examination reports, a marriage certificate if applicable, income verification documents, a PAN card, and passport-size photographs. Single parents must provide additional supporting documents. Registration on the government’s Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) portal is mandatory for all applicants. After registration, a home study report is prepared for a fee of ₹6,000, and upon allocation of a child, an additional ₹50,000 must be paid for legal formalities and adoption processing.

Prospective adoptive parents must not have life-threatening medical conditions or a criminal background. Both married and single individuals are eligible to adopt, though single men cannot adopt a girl child. A married couple must have at least two years of stable marital life before applying. The minimum age difference between the child and the adoptive parent must be at least 25 years. The maximum permissible combined age of adoptive parents is 85 years, while for single parents, it is 40 years for adopting infants up to two years old. Parents up to 90 years of age or single parents up to 45 years are eligible to adopt children aged two to four years. Those up to 100 years of age or single parents up to 50 years can adopt children aged four to eight years, while parents up to 110 years or single parents up to 55 years can adopt children aged eight to eighteen years.

The government has warned against unauthorized adoptions, such as taking in abandoned children from streets, temples, or markets, which is considered a criminal offense. Any child found in such circumstances must be reported to the nearest police station, Anganwadi worker, ASHA worker, or an adoption center for proper rehabilitation. Unwanted children must be handed over to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) for appropriate legal procedures. Healthcare institutions must immediately inform authorities about abandoned newborns to facilitate their rehabilitation through official channels.

As of April 2024, six adoption centers in Bengaluru Urban District have facilitated the legal adoption of 59 children, ensuring their placement in nurturing families under the guidance of district authorities. The government has also emphasized that illegally selling or purchasing children is a punishable offense under Section 81 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. Offenders found guilty of child trafficking face up to five years of imprisonment and a fine of ₹1 lakh, while hospital staff involved in such cases may face up to seven years of imprisonment.

Government officials have urged the public to support the legal adoption process, emphasising that adoption is not just a legal procedure but a commitment to securing a child’s future in a loving and stable family.