Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015
An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to children alleged and found to be in conflict with law and children in need of care and protection by catering to their basic needs through proper care, protection, development, treatment, social re-integration, by adopting a child-friendly approach in the adjudication and disposal of matters in the best interest of children and for their rehabilitation through processes provided, and institutions and bodies established, herein under and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Chapter I: Preliminary
Chapter II: General Principles of Care and Protection of Children
Chapter III: Juvenile Justice Board
- 4 Juvenile Justice Board
- 5 Placement of person, who cease to be a child during process of inquiry
- 6 Placement of persons, who committed an offence, when person was below the age of eighteen years
- 7 Procedure in relation to Board
- 8 Powers, functions and responsibilities of the Board
- 9 Procedure to be followed by a Magistrate who has not been empowered under this Act 5 judgments
Chapter IV: Procedure in Relation to Children in Conflict With Law
- 10 Apprehension of child alleged to be in conflict with law
- 11 Role of person in whose charge child in conflict with law is placed
- 12 Bail to a person who is apparently a child alleged to be in conflict with law
- 13 Information to parents, guardian or probation officer
- 14 Inquiry by Board regarding child in conflict with law 1 judgment
- 15 Preliminary assessment into heinous offences by Board 1 judgment
- 16 Review of pendency of inquiry
- 17 Orders regarding a child not found to be in conflict with law
- 18 Orders regarding child found to be in conflict with law
- 19 Powers of Children’s Court 1 judgment
- 20 Child attained age of twenty-one years and yet to complete prescribed term of stay in place of safety
- 21 Order that may not be passed against a child in conflict with law
- 22 Proceeding under Chapter VIII of the Code of Criminal Procedure not to apply against child
- 23 No joint proceedings of child in conflict with law and person not a child
- 24 Removal of disqualification on the findings of an offence
- 25 Special provision in respect of pending cases
- 26 Provision with respect of run away child in conflict with law
Chapter V: Child Welfare Committee
Chapter VI: Procedure in Relation to Children in Need of Care and Protection
- 31 Production before Committee
- 32 Mandatory reporting regarding a child found separated from guardian
- 33 Offence of non-reporting
- 34 Penalty for non-reporting
- 35 Surrender of children
- 36 Inquiry
- 37 Orders passed regarding a child in need of care and protection
- 38 Procedure for declaring a child legally free for adoption 1 judgment
Chapter VII: Rehabilitation and Social Re-Integration
- 39 Process of rehabilitation and social re-integration
- 40 Restoration of child in need of care and protection
- 41 Registration of child care institutions
- 42 Penalty for non-registration of child care institutions
- 43 Open shelter
- 44 Foster care
- 45 Sponsorship
- 46 After care of children leaving child care institution
- 47 Observation homes
- 48 Special homes
- 49 Place of safety
- 50 Children’s Home
- 51 Fit facility
- 52 Fit person
- 53 Rehabilitation and re-integration services in institutions registered under this Act and management thereof
- 54 Inspection of institutions registered under this Act
- 55 Evaluation of functioning of structures
Chapter VIII: Adoption
- 56 Adoption 1 judgment
- 57 Eligibility of prospective adoptive parents 2 judgments
- 58 Procedure for adoption by Indian prospective adoptive parents living in India 1 judgment
- 59 Procedure for inter-country adoption of an orphan or abandoned or surrendered child 1 judgment
- 60 Procedure for inter-country relative adoption
- 61 Procedure for disposal of adoption proceedings 1 judgment
- 62 Additional procedural requirements and documentation
- 63 Effect of adoption
- 64 Reporting of adoption
- 65 Specialised Adoption Agencies
- 66 Adoption of children residing in institutions not registered as adoption agencies
- 67 State Adoption Resource Agency
- 68 Central Adoption Resource Authority 1 judgment
- 69 Steering Committee of Authority
- 70 Powers of Authority
- 71 Annual Report of Authority
- 72 Grants by Central Government
- 73 Accounts and audit of Authority
Chapter IX: Other Offences against Children
- 74 Prohibition on disclosure of identity of children 3 judgments
- 75 Punishment for cruelty to child 1 judgment
- 76 Employment of child for begging
- 77 Penalty for giving intoxicating liquor or narcotic drug or psychotropic substance to a child
- 78 Using a child for vending, peddling, carrying, supplying or smuggling any intoxicating liquor, narcotic drug or psychotropic substance
- 79 Exploitation of a child employee
- 80 Punitive measures for adoption without following prescribed procedures
- 81 Sale and procurement of children for any purpose
- 82 Corporal punishment
- 83 Use of child by militant groups or other adults
- 84 Kidnapping and abduction of child
- 85 Offences committed on disabled children
- 86 Classification of offences and designated court
- 87 Abetment
- 88 Alternative punishment
- 89 Offence committed by child under this Chapter
Chapter X: Miscellaneous
- 90 Attendance of parent or guardian of child
- 91 Dispensing with attendance of child
- 92 Placement of a child suffering from disease requiring prolonged medical treatment in an approved place
- 93 Transfer of a child who is mentally ill or addicted to alcohol or other drugs
- 94 Presumption and determination of age 8 judgments
- 95 Transfer of a child to place of residence
- 96 Transfer of child between Children’s Homes, or special homes or fit facility or fit person in different parts of India
- 97 Release of a child from an institution
- 98 Leave of absence to a child placed in an institution
- 99 Reports to be treated as confidential
- 100 Protection of action taken in good faith
- 101 Appeals 2 judgments
- 102 Revision
- 103 Procedure in inquiries, appeals and revision proceedings
- 104 Power of the Committee or the Board to amend its own orders
- 105 Juvenile justice fund
- 106 State Child Protection Society and District Child Protection Unit
- 107 Child Welfare Police Officer and Special Juvenile Police Unit
- 108 Public awareness on provisions of Act
- 109 Monitoring of implementation of Act
- 110 Power to make rules
- 111 Repeal and savings
- 112 Power to remove difficulties
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 14 October 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.