Gujarat Records 547 Child Adoptions In FY 2025-26, Second Highest In India: CARA
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Gujarat recorded 547 child adoptions in the financial year 2025-26, emerging as the second-highest state in India for total adoptions, according to data from the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA). Of the total, 535 children were adopted within India, while 12 were adopted by families abroad.
Gujarat Records 535 In-Country Adoptions
Gujarat recorded 535 in-country adoptions, comprising 270 boys and 265 girls. The state ranked second nationally, behind Maharashtra, which recorded 730 in-country adoptions.
In the inter-country category, 12 children from Gujarat were adopted abroad, including five boys and seven girls.
Maharashtra recorded the highest overall number of adoptions in the country at 792, followed by Gujarat with 547 and Tamil Nadu with 501.
More Boys Adopted Domestically In Gujarat
The adoption figures show a marginal difference in gender distribution for domestic placements in Gujarat.
A total of 270 boys were adopted within the country, compared with 265 girls. The trend was reversed in inter-country adoptions, with seven girls adopted abroad compared with five boys.
Adoption Process Goes Digital
The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development has digitised the end-to-end adoption process through the Adoption Module under the Mission Vatsalya portal, aimed at streamlining procedures and reducing waiting times for Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs).
District Magistrates issue adoption orders, while the Adoption Regulations, 2022 prescribe timelines for different stakeholders involved in the process.
795 Specialised Adoption Agencies Approved
As of July 29, 2026, 795 Specialised Adoption Agencies (SAAs) had been approved across India under Mission Vatsalya. These agencies provide residential care for adoptable children below six years of age.
All SAAs have been onboarded onto the integrated CARINGS-Mission Vatsalya system, which enables digital handling of referrals, matching and documentation.
The ministry is also conducting Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities, social media campaigns and stakeholder workshops across the country to increase awareness about legal adoption procedures.
