Salient Features of Indian Society
GS Paper: GS Paper I | Subject: Indian Society | Last updated: 2026-06-04
Prelims
(Key facts, data, schemes, laws, organizations — MCQ-ready points)
Child Sexual Abuse & POCSO — State of Play (The Hindu, 15-06-2026)
- NCRB 2024: 69,191 POCSO cases, 70,000+ child victims; in >90% of cases the abuser is from the family's trusted circle, not a stranger
- POCSO special courts: ~89% pendency; conviction rates historically 3–30%; the POCSO Act, 2012 requires trials to conclude within 1 year of cognisance
- The 2018 & 2019 amendments focused on harsher punishments (reacting to public outrage) rather than evidence; migrant/working-class children are especially at risk
Mains
(Analysis, dimensions, significance, critique, policy angles — for 10/15 mark answers)
Why Harsher Penalties Alone Don't Protect Children (The Hindu, 15-06-2026)
- Because most offenders are known/family, repeatedly raising penalties can suppress reporting and worsen under-reporting; distrust of police (apathy, secondary victimisation) drives families to search for missing children themselves, helping perpetrators hide evidence — so the gap is in enforcement, trauma-informed policing, and trial speed, not statutory severity
- Fixes: cut POCSO pendency, child-friendly investigation & courts, trauma-informed policing, safe urban design ("Safe City", wetland/commons upkeep), and evidence-based (not outrage-driven) lawmaking
- UPSC angle: POCSO Act, child rights & protection, NCRB data, judicial pendency & low conviction, criminal-justice reform, vulnerable groups & social safety nets