If a marriage breaks down and ends up in separation of a couple, the person(s) who suffers the most is the child or children born out of the marriage. The Indian Law, while keeping in mind the parents’ right to the custody of a child, holds the welfare of the child as the most important factor of consideration when deciding upon who gets the custody of a minor child.
What Are The Factors That Constitute “Welfare” Of A Child Welfare of the child, broadly, includes the following factors: Safe-keeping of the child Ethical upbringing of the child Good education to be imparted Economic well-being of the guardian.
Primarily, a court of competent jurisdiction in India orders the custody of a child in the following three forms: Physical Custody: Physical custody when awarded to a parent, implies that the minor will be under the guardianship of that parent with visitation and periodical interaction with the other parent. The aim behind such a custody award is that the child lives in a safe and fulfilling environment but is also not deprived of the affection of the other parent during his formative years. Joint Custody: Joint custody of a child does not mean that the parents will both live together because of the child even though that what Indian courts believe is best for the welfare if a minor. It simply means that both the parents will take turns keeping the child in their custody. The rotation of a child between the parents’ custody may vary from certain days or a week or even to a month.
This not only benefits the child as the affection of both the parents is not lost and the parents also get to be a part of their child’s life in those young years.
Legal Custody: Legal custody of a child differs from physical custody in more ways than one but the fundamental difference between the two is that legal custody does not necessarily entail having the child with you or being with your child at all times. Legal custody of a child basically means that the parent granted the legal custody takes every decision for the child. From where will the child study and what doctor will the child be treated by is part of legal custody. In most instances, courts grant legal custody to both the parents together but if the divorce is messy and the parents are, apparently, never going to agree with each other, the court grants the legal custody of the child to one parent.