Mysuru: There is a steep increase in adoption of children. People wait for even more than two years to adopt children. The number of children available for adoption is less than 1/4th of the demand. For the last two years, that is during 2014-15 and 2015-16 (April to March) 378 babies were adopted across the State in which there were 238 female and 140 males. There are nearly 1284 couples who are eagerly waiting to adopt children.

Every year a few orphaned, abandoned or surrendered children end up in orphanages that facilitate adoption. They can be adopted by following the procedures put in place by the government of India. In 2014-15 and 2015-16, 204 and 174 children respectively were adopted in the State. Not only those who do not have kids adopt the children, but even those who are having their own kids adopt them. Over the years, the demand for adoption has increased. Young couples in the age group of 30 to 32 years are getting registered their names for adoption.
More female children are being adopted than male and more than 80 percent of the adopted children are in the 0 to 2 years age group. CARA is the designated nodal agency to co-ordinate the entire adoption process.

The eligibility criteria for a couple to adopt children are that they should be physically, mentally and emotional stable and financially capable and no child can be adopted by a couple unless they have at least two years of stable marital relationship. Couples in live-in relationship are not eligible to adopt a child. To adopt a child in the age group of 0-3 years, the maximum composite age of the parents should be 90 years, while the individual age of the either of the parent should not be less than 25 years and more than 50 years. To adopt children who are three years old, the maximum composite age of the parents is 105 years. In case single parent desires to adopt, he or she should not be of less than 30 years and above 50 years. An unmarried or single male person is not permitted to adopt a girl child.

Apart from the above, the parents should have adequate resources to provide good upbringing for the child. The parents should have good health and should not be suffering from any contagious or terminal diseases or any such mental or physical condition which may prevent them from taking care of the child. Any orphan, abandoned or surrendered child can be adopted following the due procedure laid down in the adoption guidelines, if such child is declared free for adoption by the child welfare committee. Children undergo all health checkups before the adoption process.

There are two adoption centres in Mysuru region. Both are in Mandya district. One of them is Vikasana Jogula Dattu Seva Kendra on Bannur Road and the other is Janapada Seva Trust in Melkote Mandya district. Jayasheela, social worker of Vikasana Kendra said, “After parents do not come forward to take back their abandoned children, we bring it to the notice of Child Welfare Committee and after getting the clearance for adoption, we put the baby online. Those who are in seniority will apply and if interested they should block the baby, otherwise it will go to others. There are some couples who are very particular about a baby and are waiting for nearly two years. For the past five years, we have registered 57 children, 22 among them have been adopted. At Janapada Seva Trust, more than 50 children were registered in the past five years, 30 among them got adopted.