Wait for adoption longest for special children, reveals government data

Special needs adoptions peaked at 401 in 2018-19, plunged to 166 the following year, and the number has since remained between 300 and 370 annually

- MPOST BUREAU

NEW DELHI: Nearly two-thirds of children waiting for adoption in India are those with special needs, even as the overall adoption numbers have seen a record rise over the years, government data shows.

According to the Union Women and Child Development (WCD) Ministry's latest annual report accessed by news agency, 3,684 children were declared legally free for adoption in 2024 and 2,177 were available for placement through the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA). Of the 2,177 children, 1,423 or 65 per cent were those with special needs.

Despite sustained efforts and awareness campaigns to encourage adoption of children with special needs, official records accessed by news agency through an RTI query show that the numbers remain much lower.