Forensic psychiatry: Mental Healthcare Act 2017: 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 · Forensic psychiatry: Mental Healthcare Act 2017

Sample item

Under the Mental Healthcare Act 2017 in India, how is a person who attempts suicide to be treated?

APresumed to be under severe stress and not punished, with care and rehabilitation providedBFined and released without any treatmentCProsecuted and imprisoned for the attemptDReferred only to the police for investigation

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Presumed to be under severe stress and not punished, with care and rehabilitation provided

The Act provides that a person who attempts suicide is presumed, unless proved otherwise, to be suffering from severe stress and shall not be tried or punished. The government has a duty to provide care, treatment and rehabilitation to reduce the risk of recurrence. The Act also provides for advance directives and nominated representatives.

Option by option

A. Presumed to be under severe stress and not punished, with care and rehabilitation provided (correct)
Correct. The Act presumes severe stress and mandates care instead of punishment.
B. Fined and released without any treatment
Fines are not imposed, and treatment is required.
C. Prosecuted and imprisoned for the attempt
The Act removes punishment in this circumstance.
D. Referred only to the police for investigation
Police prosecution is not the intended pathway under the Act.

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 A, Presumed to be under severe stress and not punished, with care and rehabilitation provided. The Act provides that a person who attempts suicide is presumed, unless proved otherwise, to be suffering from severe stress and shall not be tried or punished.

Why is "Fined and released without any treatment" not the answer?

Fines are not imposed, and treatment is required.

Why is "Prosecuted and imprisoned for the attempt" not the answer?

The Act removes punishment in this circumstance.

Why is "Referred only to the police for investigation" not the answer?

Police prosecution is not the intended pathway under the Act.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Forensic psychiatry: Mental Healthcare Act 2017 in Forensic Medicine. The government has a duty to provide care, treatment and rehabilitation to reduce the risk of recurrence. The Act also provides for advance directives and nominated representatives.

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 Forensic psychiatry: Mental Healthcare Act 2017?

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.