Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: ECT in minors: 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.

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Forensic Medicine · Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: ECT in minors

Sample item

A psychiatrist plans modified ECT with anaesthesia for a 15-year-old with severe depression unresponsive to drugs. What does the Mental Healthcare Act 2017 provide?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. ECT is prohibited in minors

The Act prohibits ECT for minors. In adults, ECT may be given only with muscle relaxants and anaesthesia, which is called modified ECT, and with consent.

Option by option

  • A. It is allowed with the parents' consent

    Parental consent does not override the prohibition.

  • B. It is allowed if the Mental Health Review Board approves

    Board approval is required for psychosurgery, not for ECT in minors.

  • C. It is allowed only unmodified

    Unmodified ECT is not permitted at any age under the Act.

  • D. ECT is prohibited in minors (correct)

    Correct. The Act bars ECT in minors entirely.

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.

More Forensic Medicine questions

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is D, ECT is prohibited in minors. The Act prohibits ECT for minors.

Why is "It is allowed with the parents' consent" not the answer?

Parental consent does not override the prohibition.

Why is "It is allowed if the Mental Health Review Board approves" not the answer?

Board approval is required for psychosurgery, not for ECT in minors.

Why is "It is allowed only unmodified" not the answer?

Unmodified ECT is not permitted at any age under the Act.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: ECT in minors in Forensic Medicine. In adults, ECT may be given only with muscle relaxants and anaesthesia, which is called modified ECT, and with consent.

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: ECT in minors?

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.