Question

An unmarried male person cannot adopt ___________.

• A. a girl child
• B. a boy child
• C. Girl and boy both
• D. Neither girl nor boy child

Hint:

The adoption rule for single parents under the secular CARA guidelines is gender-specific: A single female can adopt a child of any gender, but a single male can only adopt a boy child.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understand the adoption laws in India. Adoption in India is governed primarily by two main sets of rules: the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956 (for Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs) and the secular Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, which is implemented through the CARA (Central Adoption Resource Authority) guidelines.

Step 2: Identify the specific rule for single male adopters. The question refers to a specific restriction. Under the CARA guidelines, which apply to all adoptions under the Juvenile Justice Act, a single male is eligible to adopt a child, but with one major condition.

Step 3: State the restriction. The CARA guidelines state that a single male is not eligible to adopt a girl child. He is, however, eligible to adopt a boy child. This rule is in place as a protective measure. Therefore, an unmarried male person cannot adopt a girl child under the secular adoption law in India.