PCPNDT stands for—
Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques
Pre-Conception & Pregnancy Nutrition Department
Pre-Natal Child Protection Norms & Diagnostic Tests
Pregnancy & Child Protection Neutron Diagnosis Test
Answer and explanation
The correct answer is Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques.
The PCPNDT Act stands for the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, enacted by the Government of India in 1994. Its primary purpose is to prohibit sex selection before or after conception and to regulate diagnostic techniques such as ultrasonography to prevent their misuse for determining the sex of the fetus.
The Act applies to all diagnostic laboratories, genetic counseling centers, genetic laboratories, clinics, and any other institutions conducting pre-natal diagnostic procedures. It prohibits advertisement of pre-natal diagnostic techniques for sex determination and mandates that all such centers be registered and monitored.
The 2003 amendment expanded the scope to include pre-conception techniques such as sperm sorting and genetic selection. Violations can result in imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of up to ₹50,000 for first-time offenders. The Act is monitored by the Appropriate Authority at state and district levels.