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Karnataka ranks 4th successful the state successful presumption of adoption numbers, pursuing Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, according to information shared by officials from the Directorate of Child Protection.
While 306 children were adopted successful 2024–25, and 190 truthful acold successful 2025–26, officials said the State faces a shortage of legally adoptable children contempt a dependable emergence successful the fig of prospective parents.
Data showed that Maharashtra recorded the highest fig of adoptions successful 2024–25 astatine astir 800, followed by Tamil Nadu (600), West Bengal (315), and Karnataka (306). From 2020–21 up to October 2025–26, Karnataka has facilitated 1,540 adoptions, including 1,385 in-country and 155 inter-country, done 45 specialised adoption agencies — 21 government-run and 24 privately managed.
Year-wise adoptions
Karnataka recorded 256 adoptions successful 2020–21, including 223 in-country and 33 inter-country adoptions. The fig roseate to 281 successful 2021–22, with 239 home and 42 inter-country adoptions.
In 2022–23, the State saw a dip with 223 adoptions — 188 in-country and 35 inter-country — but the inclination picked up again successful 2023–24, erstwhile 284 children were adopted, including 263 wrong India and 21 abroad.
The highest fig of adoptions successful caller years was recorded successful 2024–25, with 306 children uncovering families — 293 in-country and 13 inter-country. In the ongoing fiscal twelvemonth 2025–26, up to October, 190 children person been adopted truthful far, including 179 in-country and 11 inter-country adoptions.
More parents waiting than children available
Arundathi T.S., Deputy Director (State Adoption Resource Agency - SARA), Directorate of Child Protection, told The Hindu on Tuesday that 2,271 registered prospective adoptive parents are waiting for adoption arsenic of November 11, 2025 . “However, lone 79 children are presently disposable for adoption. Of these, 55 are children with peculiar needs and 29 are normal,” she said.
“Many children who are different eligible (orphans, abandoned oregon surrendered) cannot beryllium placed for adoption due to the fact that their ineligible guardians are unwilling to springiness consent. When we attack them for consent, they garbage stating that they volition instrumentality them distant erstwhile they crook 18,” she said.
The authoritative attributed the debased availability of adoptable children to palmy household tracing efforts. “When infants beneath 2 are abandoned, efforts are made to hint parents wrong 2 months, portion for older children the tracing play extends to 4 months,” she said.
Children surrendered by parents are fixed a 60-day model for reclamation, aft which the adoption process tin proceed. A bulk of these cases impact unwed mothers and teenage pregnancies, including those registered nether the POCSO Act, she pointed out.
The adoption process has go much transparent and accountable aft being brought online nether Mission Vatsalya. Aadhaar enrolment is besides being done for children entering the adoption strategy to guarantee recognition and safety, the authoritative said.
Adoption successful Bengaluru Urban
In Bengaluru Urban district, which has six recognised adoption agencies, 283 children person been adopted successful the past 5 years - 265 wrong India and 18 inter-country. This twelvemonth alone, 36 children person been legally adopted.
The District Child Protection Unit (East Division), established successful June 2022, oversees 2 agencies - Shishu Mandir and St. Michael Home. Since its inception, 142 children person been adopted nether its jurisdiction, including 7 inter-country adoptions. Two further inter-country adoptions from St. Michael Home are presently nether process, officials said.
