Question

Under the JJ Act, Children in Need of Care and Protection include:
A. Abandoned Children
B. Child victim of trafficking
C. Child witness
D. Child in conflict with law
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. A & B Only
• B. B & C Only
• C. A & D Only
• D. C & D Only

Hint:

Remember the divide: CNCP (Need Care) are victims or vulnerable; CICL (Conflict with Law) are those alleged to have committed a crime.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Concept:

• The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, categorizes children into two primary groups: "Children in Conflict with Law" (CCL) and "Children in Need of Care and Protection" (CNCP).
• CNCP are children who are vulnerable, neglected, or victims of circumstances beyond their control.

Step 1: Analyze the legal definition of CNCP
Section 2(14) of the JJ Act provides an exhaustive list of categories for CNCP. It includes children found without a home, children whose parents are incapacitated, abandoned children, and victims of trafficking.
Thus, A and B are core categories of CNCP.

Step 2: Evaluate Statement C - Child Witness
While a child witness is a vulnerable person, they are not explicitly defined as a "Child in Need of Care and Protection" under the 12 specific categories of Section 2(14), unless they also fall into other criteria (like being at risk of abuse).
Thus, C is not a primary category in this context.

Step 3: Evaluate Statement D - Child in Conflict with Law
The Act makes a fundamental distinction between the two. A Child in Conflict with Law (D) is someone alleged to have committed an offense. They are handled by the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), whereas CNCP are handled by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).
Thus, Statement D is an entirely separate category.

Step 4: Conclusion
Statements A and B are the only ones fitting the specific definition of CNCP. This corresponds to option (A).