Bhubaneswar: Odisha registered 308 child adoptions in 2025-26, placing the State fifth among India’s states and Union territories, according to data released by the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA). Girls comprised the majority of the adoptees, with 170 girls adopted during the year compared with 138 boys.
Domestic and inter-country trends
CARA’s report shows that of the 308 adoptions from Odisha, 263 were in-country and 45 were inter-country. The State ranked third in the country for inter-country adoptions, after Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. The predominance of girls among adopted children — both by domestic and foreign parents — has been a consistent feature over recent years.
Special-needs children: a larger share from Odisha
Odisha recorded 29 adoptions involving children classified as having special needs. Of these, 3 were domestic adoptions and 26 were inter-country adoptions. This represents about 9.4% of the State’s adoptions, higher than the national proportion of 7.8% where 392 of the 5,022 adopted children were identified as having special needs.
| Rank (special-needs adoptions) | State | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tamil Nadu | 62 |
| 2 | Maharashtra | 59 |
| 3 | Karnataka | 36 |
| 4 | Telangana | 30 |
| 5 | Odisha | 29 |
National context and waitlisted children
Nationally, CARA recorded 5,022 adoptions in 2025-26 — 4,603 within India and 419 inter-country. According to CARA, there are 262 children in Odisha currently waiting to be adopted. The adoption process in the country is governed by the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, as amended in 2021.
State machinery and implementation
Officials of the State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA), functioning under the Women and Child Development department, said the rise in legal adoptions is linked to efforts to expedite clearances and facilitate placements from government-run child-care institutions. The CARA is the statutory body under the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development that regulates adoption and maintains national-level data.
Practical information for prospective adoptive parents
Prospective adoptive parents in Odisha should note:
- Adoptions are regulated under the Juvenile Justice Act and by CARA/SARA guidelines;
- Children available for adoption include orphaned, abandoned, surrendered and those with special needs; documentation and clearance processes are mandatory;
- Domestic and inter-country placements follow separate procedural and legal requirements, and inter-country adoption figures in Odisha have been substantial in the special-needs category.
Prospective parents should contact the State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA) or visit CARA’s official portal to understand registration, home-study, fitness assessment and legal formalities. Staying informed of official guidelines helps reduce delays and ensures compliance with statutory safeguards aimed at the child’s best interests.
Implications and outlook
The data underline two persistent patterns in Odisha: a higher proportion of girls among adoptees and a relatively larger share of adoptions involving children with special needs compared with national averages. These trends may reflect local referral patterns from child-care institutions and increased willingness among adoptive parents — domestic and international — to accept children with special needs.
Officials and child-welfare practitioners say continued strengthening of SARA’s outreach, timely legal clearances and transparent procedures could help reduce the backlog of children waiting for adoption. For families and communities, understanding the statutory framework and available support mechanisms is essential to ensure safe, legally sanctioned placements that protect the rights and welfare of children.
For more information: contact the State Adoption Resource Agency under the Women and Child Development department or consult the Central Adoption Resource Authority website for official guidelines and application procedures.
