Read the passage and answer the question that follows:
Brijesh is 25 years old autorickshaw driver. He has continuous feelings of insecurity and believes that the police in the area is tracking and following him. The patrolling of the police makes him feel that they are monitoring his behaviour minutely. The intense anxiety about this is interfering with his work and relationship and his family and friends are all worried for him. Brijesh laughs abruptly and inappropriately and sometimes stops speaking mid sentence and stares into nothingness as he appears to see or hear something that is not present.
He has continuous feeling of insecurity and believes that the police of that area is tracking and following him. This is related to:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Delusion of persecution
A delusion is a false belief that is firmly held on inadequate grounds, unaffected by rational argument.
Option (1) Hallucination — Incorrect. Hallucinations are perceptions that occur in the absence of external stimuli, such as hearing voices. The police patrolling is real; what is false is Brijesh’s belief about why they are there.
Option (2) Delusion of grandeur — Incorrect. Here people believe themselves to be specially empowered persons. Brijesh does not think he is great; he thinks he is being watched.
Option (3) Delusion of persecution — Correct. People with this delusion believe that they are being plotted against, spied on, slandered, threatened, attacked or deliberately victimised. Brijesh’s belief that the police are tracking and following him is this delusion, the most common one in schizophrenia.
Option (4) Delusion of control — Incorrect. Here people believe that their feelings, thoughts and actions are controlled by others. Being followed is not the same as being controlled.
Note: A similar question was also asked in CUET (UG) 2026 on 06-06-2026 (Slot 1).
NCERT: Psychology — Chapter 4: Psychological Disorders, Symptoms of Schizophrenia (2025-26)
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