Adoption

Adoption is an age-old custom in Hindu Religion. There are numerous instances in the folklore where people have adopted male children in order to perform their last rites. Today the scenario has changed. Adoption has become one of the ways to complete a family. Initially couples adopted children only when they could not have them biologically. Now many couples look at adoption for the second child.

Married Couples leading a stable married life for more than three years are eligible to adopt. Single, divorced or widowed ladies, who are in 30 to 45 year age bracket and are physically, mentally and financially capable to bring up a child, are also eligible.

It is imperative to adopt a child through a recognized adoption agency so that the adoption is legal in all respects. This way everybody can refer back to the agency, if any need arises in future in connection with adoption/support/counseling and guidance.

To adopt a child, the couple should visit the nearest recognized adoption agency and obtain pertinent information and an application form. Once the couple submits the completed application, they need to undergo a Home study process, which is nothing but counseling cum investigation report conducted by a professionally qualified Social Worker (MSW). If every thing is in order, the name of the couple is registered in the waiting parents’ list. As and when a suitable child becomes available, the agency calls the couple to see the child. The couple has the right to accept or reject the child. Once they approve the child, the child is placed in pre-adoptive foster care with the couple. The legal formalities may take 3 months to 1 year depending on how busy the court is. By pre-adoptive foster care arrangement the couple keeps the child at their home while the case is going on, but the child cannot leave the country till the case is completed.

Only Hindu Personal Law, The Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act of 1956 (HAMA), allows adoption in India. Persons belonging to other religions can become Legal Guardians of a child under The Guardian and Wards Case of 1890 (G&WC). Under HAMA, an adopted child automatically inherits the ancestral property of the adoptive parents, which is not the case under G&WC; a will needs to be made for wards taken under G&WC to inherit the property.

Special adoption procedure needs to be followed if the adoptive parents are non-resident Indians, persons of Indian origin and foreign nationals. All adoptions in India are done under the overall umbrella of Central Adoption Resource Authority, whose website http://www.cara.nic.in/ is an excellent source of information on all topics related to adoption in India.

Bapuji Childrens Home is a recognized adoption agency and actively takes part in all activities related to in-country adoptions; but it does not directly undertake inter-country adoptions.