Mental Healthcare Act 2017: suicide: practice question

A Psychiatry 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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Psychiatry · Mental Healthcare Act 2017: suicide

Sample item

According to the Mental Healthcare Act 2017, a person who attempts suicide is:

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Presumed to be suffering from severe stress and not to be tried or punished

Section 115 of the Act presumes severe stress in a person who attempts suicide, and he shall not be tried or punished, effectively decriminalising the attempt. The government is required to provide care, treatment and rehabilitation to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Option by option

  • A. Punishable with imprisonment up to one year

    Imprisonment was under the earlier law (Section 309 IPC) and is no longer applied.

  • B. Presumed to be suffering from severe stress and not to be tried or punished (correct)

    Correct. Severe stress is presumed and punishment is barred.

  • C. Liable to a fine only

    A fine is likewise not applicable.

  • D. Required to be tried by a magistrate for abetment

    Abetment of suicide remains an offence for others, not for the attempter.

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.

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Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is B, Presumed to be suffering from severe stress and not to be tried or punished. Section 115 of the Act presumes severe stress in a person who attempts suicide, and he shall not be tried or punished, effectively decriminalising the attempt.

Why is "Punishable with imprisonment up to one year" not the answer?

Imprisonment was under the earlier law (Section 309 IPC) and is no longer applied.

Why is "Liable to a fine only" not the answer?

A fine is likewise not applicable.

Why is "Required to be tried by a magistrate for abetment" not the answer?

Abetment of suicide remains an offence for others, not for the attempter.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Mental Healthcare Act 2017: suicide in Psychiatry. The government is required to provide care, treatment and rehabilitation to reduce the risk of recurrence.

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 Mental Healthcare Act 2017: suicide?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry 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.