Section 2(14) in The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015
(14)"child in need of care and protection" means a child-(i)who is found without any home or settled place of abode and without any ostensible means of subsistence; or(ii)who is found working in contravention of labour laws for the time being in force or is found begging, or living on the street; or(iii)who resides with a person (whether a guardian of the child or not) and such person-(a)has injured, exploited, abused or neglected the child or has violated any other law for the time being in force meant for the protection of child; or(b)has threatened to kill, injure, exploit or abuse the child and there is a reasonable likelihood of the threat being carried out; or(c)has killed, abused, neglected or exploited some other child or children and there is a reasonable likelihood of the child in question being killed, abused, exploited or neglected by that person; or(iv)who is mentally ill or mentally or physically challenged or suffering from terminal or incurable disease, having no one to support or look after or having parents or guardians unfit to take care, if found so by the Board or the Committee; or(v)who has a parent or guardian and such parent or guardian is found to be unfit or incapacitated, by the Committee or the Board, to care for and protect the safety and well-being of the child; or(vi)who does not have parents and no one is willing to take care of, or whose parents have abandoned or surrendered him; or(vii)who is missing or run away child, or whose parents cannot be found after making reasonable inquiry in such manner as may be prescribed; or(viii)who has been or is being or is likely to be abused, tortured or exploited for the purpose of sexual abuse or illegal acts; or(ix)who is found vulnerable and is likely to be inducted into drug abuse or trafficking; or(x)who is being or is likely to be abused for unconscionable gains; or(xi)who is victim of or affected by any armed conflict, civil unrest or natural calamity; or(xii)who is at imminent risk of marriage before attaining the age of marriage and whose parents, family members, guardian and any other persons are likely to be responsible for solemnisation of such marriage;
