A girl or boy of 15 years of age may validly be taken into adoption

Section 10(iv) of the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956 requires that the child to be adopted "has not completed the age of fifteen years, unless there is a custom or usage applicable to the parties which permits" the adoption of older persons. A child of fifteen can therefore be adopted only where such custom or usage allows; adoption does not arise by operation of law, contract or the child's consent.