
Ban on adoption by live-in partners lifted
Why in the news ?
- Individuals in a live-in relationship will once again be able to adopt children from and within India.
- Country’s nodal adoption agency decided to withdraw a circular issued earlier this year disallowing them from doing so.
More about the news
- The Child Adoption Regulatory Authority (CARA), in a circular issued on May 31, barred applicants in a live-in relationship from adopting a child.
- CARA had barred the applicants on the ground that live-in relationship cannot be considered as stable family.
- But, now the agency has decided to withdraw the circular.
- The applications from prospective adoptive parents will be examined on a case-by-case basis now onwards.
Eligibility Criteria
- The eligibility criteria under Adoption Regulations, 2017, permit single women to adopt a child of any gender.
- Single men can adopt only boys.
- When a married couple seeks to adopt a child, it needs to give its consent for adoption and should be stable marriage for at least two years.
- Applicants have to be physically, mentally and financially stable to raise a child.
Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA)
- Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is a statutory body of Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India.
- It functions as the nodal body for adoption of Indian children.
- It is mandated to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions.
- CARA is designated as the Central Authority to deal with inter-country adoptions.
- It is in accordance with the provisions of the Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption, 1993, ratified by Government of India in 2003.
- CARA primarily deals with adoption of orphan, abandoned and surrendered children through its associated /recognised adoption agencies.
Source
The Hindu, CARA.