The Central Government notified the Guidelines issued by the Central Adoption Resource Authority to provide for the regulation of adoption of orphaned, abandoned or surrendered children.

1. Guidelines governing Adoption of
children, 2015:-
The Central Government notified the following Guidelines issued
by the Central Adoption Resource Authority, superseding the
Guidelines Governing the Adoption of Children, 2011 to provide for
the regulation of adoption of orphaned, abandoned or surrendered
children.
• Adequately defined terms like ‘prospective adoptive parents’ and
‘surrendered child’ find a place in the preliminary provisions, which
also deal with the fundamental principles governing adoption of
children and allowing prospective parents’ adoption on realization of
the eligibility criteria. Couples having more than four children are
not to be considered for adoption.

2. Declaration of an abandoned or orphaned child as legally free for
adoption shall be done by issuing an Order for the same by the
Child Welfare Committee as per the format in Schedule-1. With
respect to a surrendered child, recourse to counseling shall be taken
to discourage surrender by biological parents. On account of
surrender being inevitable, a deed of surrender shall be executed
with accordance to the terms, however no advertisement to be
issued in case of a surrendered child.
• Home study report of the prospective adoptive parents shall be
prepared by the adoption agency and be completed within one
month, on the basis of which the eligibility of the prospective
adoptive parents shall be declared along with reasons. The
registration of an adoption deed is not mandatory. The Specialised
Adoption Agency shall file the adoption petition in the court

3. having jurisdiction over the place where it is located, within seven
days from the date of acceptance by the prospective adoptive
parents for obtaining the necessary adoption.
• Relating to inter-country adoption, profiles of two children
shall be referred to the authorised foreign adoption agency. In case
the prospective adoptive parents fail to reserve any of the children
within ninety-six hour, then the profile of both the children stand
automatically withdrawn. No objection certificate shall be issued
by the Central Adoption Resource Authority within ten days from
the date of receipt of the acceptance of the child by the prospective
adoptive parents. For obtaining Indian passport for the adopted
child, the specialized adoption agency shall submit the application
to the regional passport officer within three working days from the
date of receipt of a certified copy

4. of the adoption order. The child shall be entitled to receive care,
protection and rehabilitation through the child protection services
in the event of adjustment problem.
• Directions given which specifies the procedure for renewal,
suspension and inspection of Specialised Adoption Agency and
enlisting the various functions of the Agency towards children and
biological as well as prospective adoptive parents. Role of the
Indian diplomatic missions in inter-country adoption of Indian
children also finds mention.
• Miscellaneous provisions determining seniority of the
prospective adoptive parents facilitating the root search and
adoption of children with special needs, also finds
acknowledgment.
-Ministry of Women and Child Development.