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Question 89 of 101 · Miscellaneous GK
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SSC

Protecting, promoting and fulfilling the rights of persons with mental illness is a stated objective of the:

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Answer: Option C — Mental Healthcare Act, 2017

Detailed Solution

The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 aims to provide mental healthcare and services for persons with mental illness and to protect, promote and fulfil their rights during the delivery of such care.

Background:

  • The Act replaced the Mental Health Act, 1987, which was criticised for focusing on institutional care and for not protecting the rights of patients.
  • It was passed to bring Indian law in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which India ratified in 2007.
  • The Act came into force on 29 May 2018.

Main features:

  • Right to access mental healthcare: Every person has the right to affordable, good-quality mental health services run or funded by the government.
  • Advance directive: A person can state in advance how they wish to be treated, and who should be their nominated representative, if they later lose the capacity to decide.

Decriminalisation of suicide attempts: Section 115 presumes that a person who attempts suicide is under severe stress, so they are not to be tried and punished. The government must provide care and rehabilitation.

Ban on certain treatments: Electro-convulsive therapy without anaesthesia is banned, and it cannot be used on minors. Chaining of patients is prohibited.

Rights of patients: These include the right to live with dignity, protection from cruel treatment, confidentiality, and access to medical records.

Mental Health Authorities: The Act provides for a Central Mental Health Authority and State Mental Health Authorities, and Mental Health Review Boards.

Related initiatives:

  • The National Mental Health Programme was launched in 1982.
  • World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 deals with disabilities in general, including mental illness as one category.
  • ✗The National Trust Act, 1999 deals with persons with autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability and multiple disabilities.
  • ✗The Mental Health Act, 1987 was the earlier law that the 2017 Act replaced.

Quick tip

Remember: Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 = rights-based law; advance directive; attempt to suicide decriminalised (Section 115).

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Miscellaneous GK — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Miscellaneous GK, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic collects general knowledge questions that do not fit neatly into a single category, such as national symbols, famous nicknames of places, important events, entertainment, and facts that cut across history, geography and culture. Because these questions come from many areas, the best preparation is broad revision and regular practice. Read each explanation carefully, since it often includes a related fact that is tested in a different form. Keep a notebook of facts you get wrong and revise it before the exam. Practise the miscellaneous GK questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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