- Why in news
- On 27 October 2026, CARA held its Fifth Regional Consultative Workshop for the Eastern Zone in Ranchi, Jharkhand, to expand adoption of children with special needs.
- What it is
- The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is the nodal body for adoption in India under the Ministry of Women and Child Development. It regulates in-country and inter-country adoptions and works through State Adoption Resource Agencies and Specialised Adoption Agencies. It is the Central Authority for India under the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption.
- Parent ministry
- CARA functions under the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
- Eastern Zone
- The Eastern Zone covers Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal and Sikkim.
- Workshop series
- Earlier workshops were held for the Northern (Rajasthan), North-Eastern (Assam), Central (Madhya Pradesh) and Western (Maharashtra) zones.
- Participating agencies
- Participants included SARAs, Specialised Adoption Agencies, Child Care Institutions, DCPUs and Child Welfare Committees.
- Legal basis
- CARA is a statutory body under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, which gave it statutory status.
- Hague Convention
- CARA is India's Central Authority for the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption.
- Theme 2026
- The theme is 'Legal Adoption. Safe Childhood. Secure Future. Say No to Illegal Adoption!'
- Shift in approach
- Awareness workshops start in September 2026, no longer limited to November.
- Stakeholders
- The campaign involves Child Welfare Committees, District Child Protection Units, Specialised Adoption Agencies, police, health departments, judiciary and ASHA/ANM workers, among others.
Don’t confuse with CARA vs CWC: CARA regulates adoption nationally. Child Welfare Committees are district bodies under the JJ Act that decide on care and protection of individual children, including declaring a child legally free for adoption.
Don’t confuse with SARA vs SAA: SARA is the State-level agency coordinating adoption. A Specialised Adoption Agency is an institution that places children in adoption.
Don’t confuse with CARA vs Child Welfare Committee: CARA is the national adoption regulator. Child Welfare Committees are district-level bodies that decide on children in need of care and protection, including declaring them legally free for adoption.
Laws, judgments and statutory bodies: 30 Prelims questions since 2013 (what the law says, who chairs, legal basis). In Mains, 44 news-triggered questions, most in GS2, asking for provisions and challenges.
Why it matters
- Regional consultations help adoption rules work on the ground and bring healthcare and child protection systems together.
- Focus on Divyaang children supports family-based care over institutionalisation.
- Promotes a regulated, child-centric adoption system and curbs illegal adoption and child trafficking.
Problems
- Delays in medical assessments and procedures hold up adoption of children with special needs.
- Coordination between departments and capacity of institutions differ across States.
- Illegal adoption practices persist, and awareness and capacity at State, district and community levels remain uneven.
Way forward
- Link healthcare institutions with child protection units for timely medical evaluation.
- Use the workshop recommendations to cut procedural bottlenecks and build awareness among prospective parents.
- Build capacity of district bodies and strengthen coordination with the health and home ministries and police.
Put in your answer
Regional consultation model: CARA has held five zonal workshops to identify region-specific adoption challenges and share good practices.
Best interest of the child: The campaign stresses this principle, which underlies the juvenile justice framework.
- 2025Mains GS2 · Q18Examine policies on child digital challenges; measures for National Commission for Child Rights.
- 2016Mains GS2 · Q15Examine main provisions of National Child Policy and its implementation status.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: CARA is a statutory body on the syllabus. Statutory bodies are only 7 of 327 Prelims questions, and this workshop has no new provision.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.