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New Delhi: Children living in child care institutions having “unfit guardians” and those who had no visitations for a long period will now be included in the adoption pool, a Women and Child Development (WCD) official said on Sunday.
At the closing session of the ninth Annual National Stakeholders Consultation on 'Protecting the Rights of Children Living with Disabilities,' WCD Secretary Anil Malik announced significant changes to India's adoption system.
He said two new categories will be added to the adoption pool, expanding from the existing categories of orphaned, abandoned, and surrendered (OAS) children.
"We are adding children who have had no visitations for a long period and those whose guardians or parents have been deemed unfit," Malik said, addressing the audience.
He said a survey conducted across 15,000 children at child care institutions had identified those who would be placed in foster care and the adoption pool.
Highlighting the recent improvements in the adoption infrastructure, Malik noted that nearly every district in the country now has specialised adoption agencies (SAAs).
"The number of SAAs has significantly increased over the last year. We now have 698 agencies across 588 districts, effectively covering almost the entire country," he said.
Malik also emphasised the growing interest among Indian citizens in adopting children, particularly those with disabilities.
"Earlier, foreigners were more inclined toward adoption, but now we are seeing more Indian citizens and NRIs stepping forward," he stated.
He also explained that the process had been streamlined with transparent medical reports, certified by chief medical officers, which clearly outline the disabilities of children, making the adoption process more transparent for prospective parents.
The secretary shared some adoption statistics to illustrate progress.
"In 2022-23, 152 children with disabilities were adopted, and that number doubled to 309 last year. So far this year, around 150 children have already found homes," Malik said, adding that the system is on the "right path" for helping children.
He credited the Supreme Court for providing directions that have helped improve the adoption system and foster care guidelines, further boosting the number of adoptions.