Gujarat records 1,297 adoptions in 10 years, 55% are girls

Gujarat has recorded 1,297 child adoptions over the past decade, with girls accounting for 55% of all adoptions. November is observed nationwide as Adoption Awareness Month, with new data highlighting a growing preference for adopting girls even among parents settled abroad.

About 14% of children adopted in the past 10 years from Gujarat have found homes overseas.

Nationally, over 4,500 children were adopted in 2024–25, the highest in the last decade. Meanwhile, more than 36,000 parents have registered with the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA). From Gujarat alone, 177 children were adopted in the past decade, including 61 boys and 89 girls.

Who is eligible to adopt?

Experts say that couples with a combined age of 45 years are eligible to adopt a child aged 0–2 years. For single parents, the upper age limit is 40 years. Single men cannot adopt a girl child, while single women can adopt both boys and girls.

Couples with a combined age between 86 and 90 years can adopt children aged 2–4, while single parents must fall within the 41–45 age bracket.