Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: abandonment of a child: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

Forensic Medicine · Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: abandonment of a child

Sample item

A father leaves his 8-month-old infant in a field intending to abandon it, and the infant is found alive. Which offence is committed?

ACulpable homicide, since death was certain to followBInfanticide, a separate offence with reduced punishment in Indian lawCExposure and abandonment of a child under twelve years by a parent, which is punishable even if the child survivesDNo offence, since the child survived

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Exposure and abandonment of a child under twelve years by a parent, which is punishable even if the child survives

Under IPC 317, now the corresponding provision of the BNS, a parent who exposes or leaves a child under 12 years with the intention of abandoning it commits an offence, and the outcome does not matter. If the child dies, a more serious charge may follow. India has no separate offence called infanticide.

Option by option

A. Culpable homicide, since death was certain to follow
Culpable homicide needs death and the required intention or knowledge, which was not shown.
B. Infanticide, a separate offence with reduced punishment in Indian law
Indian law has no separate infanticide offence with reduced punishment.
C. Exposure and abandonment of a child under twelve years by a parent, which is punishable even if the child survives (correct)
Correct. Abandonment of a child under twelve is itself an offence.
D. No offence, since the child survived
The offence is complete on abandonment and does not depend on death.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is C, Exposure and abandonment of a child under twelve years by a parent, which is punishable even if the child survives. Under IPC 317, now the corresponding provision of the BNS, a parent who exposes or leaves a child under 12 years with the intention of abandoning it commits an offence, and the outcome does not matter.

Why is "Culpable homicide, since death was certain to follow" not the answer?

Culpable homicide needs death and the required intention or knowledge, which was not shown.

Why is "Infanticide, a separate offence with reduced punishment in Indian law" not the answer?

Indian law has no separate infanticide offence with reduced punishment.

Why is "No offence, since the child survived" not the answer?

The offence is complete on abandonment and does not depend on death.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: abandonment of a child in Forensic Medicine. If the child dies, a more serious charge may follow. India has no separate offence called infanticide.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: abandonment of a child?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.