If the charging cable won’t easily fit into the charging port of the iPad, this would indicate that either dirt or lint is obstructing the plug, or the plug or charging socket have been damaged. A damaged charging cable must be replaced - whereas a damaged charging port must be repaired.
If your iPad requires repair, you can verify eligibility and cost for your country/region here:
iPad Repair & Service - Apple Support
If the problem is due to an obstruction, you may be able to remove it yourself. With good light, using a sharpened wooden matchstick or plastic toothpick, very gently try to dislodge the obstruction from the socket. Be careful to avoid damaging the delicate electrical contacts within the socket.
This task might be best entrusted to the technicians at the Genius Bar of your local Apple Store or Apple Authorised Service Provider (AASP):
Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple
If the charging problem is not mechanical, these support pages should help with troubleshooting battery and charging issues:
Charge and monitor the iPad battery - Apple Support
If your iPad won't charge – Apple Support
Troubleshooting generally requires substitution of the Power Adapter and cable for another known-good item. Most models of iPad require a Power Adapter rated at 12W (i.e., 2.4A @5V) or greater to reliably charge. 5W Power Adapters (1.0A @5V) intended for older models of iPhone are inadequate to charge an iPad; if the iPad charges at all, charging will be very slow. Recent models of iPad are supplied with a 20W USB-C Power Adapter.
Some third-party USB-C power adapters (and portable PowerBanks) may not support USB PD (Power Delivery). Power Delivery mutually negotiates the charging voltage; the source, load and cable are all elements involved in the negotiation protocol. Unless the Power Adapter explicitly supports USB PD, it will almost certainly fail to charge the iPad; proprietary charging standards, such as QC (Quick Charge), are not supported.
Many computer USB ports also cannot source sufficient power to charge an iPad. Unless explicitly designed for charging connected devices, computer USB ports are typically limited to 0.5-1A @5V (i.e., 2.5-5.0W).
If you continue to experience difficulties when using an appropriate Power Adapter of 12W or greater, you might be best advised to seek assistance directly from from Apple Support. You can contact the Support Team using the Support link at top-right or bottom-left of this page. Alternatively, you can initiate and manage your support cases from Apple devices using the excellent Apple Support App. If not already installed, the App can be downloaded from the App Store:
https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-support/id1130498044
You might also visit the Genius Bar at your local Apple Store or Apple Authorised Service Provider (AASP) - where the technicians will be able to test and assess your iPad, Power Adapter and cable(s):
Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple
