Government rejects lowering age of consent to protect child safety under Pocso Act

Exam-focused facts from the 7 February 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

Minister for Women and Child Development (WCD) Annpurna Devi stated that any dilution of the age of consent or introduction of exceptions would undermine child safety and weaken India's commitment to protecting children.
The age of consent is uniformly fixed at 18 years across statutes including Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Pocso Act 2012, Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006, Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act 1956, Juvenile Justice Act 2015, and Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act 1956.
Pocso Act does not explicitly define 'consent' and treats any sexual act with a person below 18 years as an offence irrespective of purported consent.