What is Ossification Test. How Age of an Accused Person Can be Determined.

OSSIFICATION TEST

Determination of Age of Accused

PLD 2023 Supreme Court 536 

Determination of age --- 
                               Ossification test --- Scope and significance of ossification test in determining age of an accused stated .
Ordinarily , the date of birth of a person is determined on the basis of documentary proof i.e.
                                         Birth certificate , 
                                         Educational documents 
                                         National Identity Card etc 
But when the date of birth is disputed and varies on all such documents then the ossification test is the best way to determine a person's age . The ossification test is a test that determines age based on the " degree of fusion of bone " by taking the x - ray of a few bones . 
In simple words , the ossification test or osteogenesis is the process of the bone formation based on the fusion of joints between birth and the age of twenty five years in an individual . Bone age is an indicator of the skeletal and biological maturity of an individual which assists in the determination of age . The ossification test varies slightly based on individual characteristics such as climatic conditions , where the person was born and raised , dietic values , hereditary differences etc.

Conclusion.