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