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Glossary
| Term (EN) | Definition | Exam Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| POCSO | Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012 | Act acronym |
| Child | Any person below 18 years — gender-neutral | Section 2(d) |
| Penetrative Sexual Assault | Penetration of penis/object/body part with sexual intent (Section 3) | Core offence |
| Aggravated PSA | PSA by person of authority/trust/relative; on disabled; causing pregnancy/HIV (Section 5) | Most serious |
| Sexual Assault | Non-penetrative physical contact with sexual intent (Section 7) | PYQ 2021 |
| Aggravated SA | Sexual assault by person of authority — 5–7 years (Section 9) | Aggravated category |
| Sexual Harassment | Non-contact sexual acts — remarks, pornography, stalking (Section 11) | Non-contact offence |
| Child Pornography (CSAM) | Visual depiction of child in sexual act (Section 2(da)) | Sec. 13–15 |
| Mandatory Reporting | All citizens must report known/suspected child sexual offence to police (Section 19) | Civic duty |
| SJPU | Special Juvenile Police Unit — receives POCSO reports | Reporting mechanism |
| Reverse Burden | Court presumes guilt; accused proves innocence (Section 29) | Key provision |
| Special Court | Court designated by State for POCSO trials (Section 28) | Trial mechanism |
| In-Camera Trial | Trial held with public excluded — preserves child's dignity (Section 37) | Child protection |
| Support Person | Person chosen by child to accompany during proceedings (Section 39) | Child rights |
| Gender-Neutral | Act protects boys, girls, transgender children equally as victims | Coverage |
| Sexual Intent | Underlying mental element required for sexual offences under POCSO | Definitional |
| NCPCR | National Commission for Protection of Child Rights — POCSO implementation | Implementation body |
| UN CRC | UN Convention on the Rights of Child — ratified by India 1992; basis of POCSO | International law |
| Fast Track Special Court | FTSC — dedicated POCSO court with centralised funding; expedited trial | Trial mechanism |
| POCSO e-Box | Online portal for reporting child sexual offences (NCPCR) | Digital governance |
| 2019 Amendment | Enhanced penalties; death penalty for agg. PSA on child under 16 | Amendment |
| False Complaint | Intentional false report — 6 months; minor cannot be punished | Section 22 |
| Ossification Test | Medical test to determine approximate age of child when documents unavailable | Age determination |
| In-Camera | Proceedings from which public is excluded — protects victim identity | Section 37 |
| Libnus v. State of Goa | SC held no skin-to-skin contact needed for sexual assault — overruled Bombay HC | Landmark SC case |
Sources: Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012 (Act 32 of 2012); POCSO Amendment Act 2019; POCSO Rules 2020; Independent Thought v. Union of India (2017) 10 SCC 800; Libnus v. State of Goa (2021) 2 SCC 355; NCRB Crime in India 2022; NCPCR POCSO guidelines; RPSC Mains 2026 Syllabus.