This year, 56% of adopted children were girls, reflecting not only affection but also a perception among adoptive parents that caring for girls is comparatively easier.
Mumbai: Adoption cases in India have broken the record of the past decade this year, with Maharashtra emerging as the leader. According to the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), a total of 4,515 children were adopted—both within the country and internationally—during the financial year 2024–25.
In domestic adoptions, Maharashtra ranked first with 790 children, followed by Tamil Nadu (438) and West Bengal (297). Maharashtra also led in international adoptions, where 59 children found homes abroad. Punjab (41) and West Bengal (31) followed in this category.
CARA data also shows that prospective parents prefer younger and healthier children, with a noticeable inclination toward girls. This year, 56% of adopted children were girls, reflecting not only affection but also a perception among adoptive parents that caring for girls is comparatively easier.
Currently, more than 36,000 couples are waiting to adopt, while only 2,749 children are legally available for adoption. Among them, 1,808 are children with special needs.
Awareness Can Remove Barriers
Experts stress the need for stronger measures to overcome hurdles in the adoption process. They recommend nationwide awareness campaigns, mandatory counseling and training for adoptive parents, post-adoption support systems, efforts to dispel myths about older and special-needs children, and policy reforms to increase social acceptance of adoption.
, a total of 4,515 children were adopted—both within the country and internationally—during the financial year 2024–25.){kind=link}