The Chhattisgarh government has made a significant amendment to the century-old Adoption Act, replacing the term ‘adopted son’ with ‘adopted child’ in all legal documents. This is being seen as a major step toward gender equality and social reform.

State Finance Minister OP Choudhary said, “In the 1908 Act, only the term ‘son’ was mentioned for adoption, reflecting the patriarchal mindset of the time. We have now amended it to use ‘adopted child’ to ensure gender neutrality and respect for women.”

This move echoes the spirit of women like Padma Vibhushan Teejan Bai, who broke social norms by performing Pandavani in the traditionally male ‘Kapalik’ style, and Padma Shri Phoolbasan Bai, who empowered over 8 lakh women through self-help groups in rural Chhattisgarh.

Social worker V Polamma applauded the amendment, saying, “In 2005, daughters got equal property rights under the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act. It’s only fair that adoption laws reflect similar equality”. 

Another activist, Vibha Singh, said the move sends a strong message against gender bias in adoption.

Between January 2021 and February this year, 417 children were adopted in Chhattisgarh, of whom 246 were girls. During this period, 369 children from the state were also adopted by families across various Indian states, while 48 children found homes internationally. 

All adoption documents issued so far have used the term “adopted son”, irrespective of the child’s gender, highlighting the significance of the recent amendment.

While adoption laws have taken a progressive turn, gender-biased language still exists in many official forms and common practices. 
Terms like “I, son of…” are still widely used, highlighting the need for broader reform to challenge male-centric language and thinking in Indian society.