PARENTHOOD THROUGH ADOPTION

ADOPTION MEANS ESTABLISHING A BOND BETWEEN A COUPLE [THE ADOPTERS ] AND THE CHILD THE[ ADOPTEE] WHICH IS LEGALLY , SOCIALLY  AND MORALLY EQUIVALENT TO  THAT BETWEEN PARENTS AND THEIR BIOLOGICAL PARENTS . THE ADOPTIVE COUPLE ASSUME THE SAME RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN RELATION TO THE CHILD  AS IN A BIOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIP AND SO DOES THE ADOPTED CHILD TOWARDS HIS ADOPTIVE PARENTS . 

ADOPTION HAS BEEN PREVALENT IN INDIA SINCE ANCIENT TIMES . HOWEVER UNTIL THE RECENT PAST IT HAS BEEN MAINLY TO FULFILL THE NEEDS  OF THE PARENTS i.e, TO HAVE A MALE CHILD TO PERFORM THE LAST RITES OR TO ACQUIRE AN HEIR TO INHERIT  THE FAMILY NAME AND PROPERTY . CHILDLESS COUPLE OR THOSE WITHOUT A MALE CHILD USUALLY ADOPTED A CHILD FROM THEIR OWN EXTENDED FAMILY OR AT LEAST BELONGING TO THEIR OWN CASTE AND COMMUNITY . THE CHILD'S NEEDS WERE SECONDARY , ALTHOUGH USUALLY A STRONG PARENT CHILD BOND DID DEVELOP. 

TODAY WHEN A COUPLE DECIDES TON ADOPT THE ABOVE REASONS CONTINUE TO BE THE MAJOR MOTIVATING FACTOR . ALMOST EQUALLY POTENT IS THE DESIRE TO AVOID THE STIGMA ATTACHED TO BARRENNESS . HOWEVER, MORE COUPLES ARE NOW HAVING RESERVATIONS ABOUT ADOPTING A CHILD WHOSE PARENTS ARE KNOWN TO THEM AND ARE INSTEAD SEEKING CHILDREN ABOUT WHOSE BACKGROUND THEY MAY HAVE LITTLE OR NO INFORMATION . THIS IS TO AVOID DIVIDED LOYALTIES AND POSSIBLE INTERFERENCE IN THE CARE AND UPBRINGING OF THE CHILD THEY ADOPT . 

WHILE INDIA CONTINUES TO HAVE A HIGH BIRTH RATE , THERE ARE ALSO THOUSANDS OF COUPLES WHO ARE CHILDLESS . IN THEIR DESPERATION TO BECOME PARENTS THEY GO FROM PILLAR TO POST AND FREQUENTLY THOUSANDS OF RUPEES IN TRYING ON VARIOUS METHODS LIKE IN - VITRO FERTILISATION   WHICH STILL HAVE A VERY LOW SUCCESS RATE . MANY APPROACH HOSPITALS AND PRIVATE NURSING HOMES AND WITH ACTIVE ASSISTANCE OF MEDICAL AND OTHER STAFF OBTAIN UNWANTED CHILDREN BORN THERE IN OFTEN CLANDESTINELY . UNFORTUNATELY NOT MANY PEOPLE EEM TO BE AWARE OF THE EXISTENCE OF DESTITUTE CHILDREN IN INSTITUTIONS LANGUISHING FOR WANT OF A  LOVING HOME . OR THAT THERE ARE COMPETENT CHILD WELFARE WHICH CAN HELP THEM TO FULFILL THEIR DESIRE FOR A CHILD AT THE SAME TIME ENSURING THAT THEIR INTEREST AND THOSE OF CHILD ARE FULLY PROTECTED FROM ALL ANGLES INCLUDING THE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF CONFIDENTIALITY . DETAILS ABOUT SUCH ORGANISATIONS ARE AVAILABLE WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT  OR DIRECTORATE OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND COUPLES SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING ADOPTION WOULD DO BETTER TO APPROACH ONLY SUCH ORGANISATIONS RATHER THAN DEPENDING ON THE DUBIOUS AND UNRELIABLE ASSISTANCE OF UNAUTHORISED PERSONS IN HOSPITALS AND NURSING HOMES . 

IN THE METROPOLITAN CITY LIKE MUMBAI THERE HAS BEEN AN ENCOURAGING RISE IN THE NUMBER IF LEGAL INDIAN ADOPTION TAKING PLACE FROM LESS THAN 25 ADOPTIONS A YEAR TWO DECADES AGO , TO 279 IN 1990  . THE ADOPTION OF GIRL CHILD HAS ALSO BEEN STEADILY ON THE INCREASE , ALTHOUGH IT IS STILL NOWHERE NEAR THE NUMBER OF MALE ADOPTIONS . WITH THE BREAKING OF THE JOINT FAMILY SYSTEM , COUPLES ARE REALISING THAT THEIR SONS WILL NOT NECESSARILY ALWAYS BE AROUND TO LOOK AFTER THEM IN THEIR OLD AGE AND THERE IS AN EQUAL IF NOT BETTER CHANCE OF THEIR RECEIVING LIFE LONG CARE AND AFFECTION FROM A DAUGHTER , AS FROM A SON . THE SITUATION RELATING TO ADOPTION IS MORE CONSERVATIVE CITIES AND TOWNS , AND IN RURAL AREAS , IS STILL PRETTY BLEAK