India’s Supreme Court recently told authorities that children need sex education well before Class 9. A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Alok Aradhe noted that adolescents should learn about puberty changes and “the care and cautions to be taken in relation thereto” at a younger age.

The court made this remark in a case involving a 15-year-old accused of rape and sexual assault, granting him bail but stressing that early sex education could help prevent such offences.

But does that mean India is ready for classroom sex-ed from the middle grades? The question is far from settled, given how the topic is entangled with taboos, politics and practical hurdles.

WHY EARLY SEX EDUCATION MATTERS FOR INDIAN YOUTH

One big reason the court is pushing for early lessons is the worrying rise in child sex crimes. Across India, teenagers are increasingly involved – not just as victims but also as perpetrators – in sexual violence.

In July 2025, in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district, a minor girl was allegedly raped by four minor boys. Police registered an FIR under various sections, including the Pocso Act.

In 2024, a Delhi court sentenced a juvenile to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping two minor girls, aged five and six, in 2017.

Cases like these show just how damaging uninformed or distorted attitudes about sex can be.

In a country that reports nearly 30,000 rapes a year (roughly one every 18 minutes) and has the world’s largest number of child brides (about 23% of young women were married before 18), the need for solid sex education is clear.

Without it, youngsters often learn about sex from unreliable sources. In today’s internet age, many teens turn to pornography for answers. Research has found that heavy porn exposure can lower the age of first sex and skew attitudes – for example, normalising violence and power play in relationships.

Many also end up with distorted ideas about what bodies “should” look like—extreme, stylised, often unrealistic. Without balanced education, teens may compare themselves to those images and feel ashamed or abnormal. This can also feed unhealthy expectations in relationships about looks, performance, or consent.

Without a trusted teacher or counsellor to give facts, teens often start seeing sex only as titillation or dominance, not intimacy.

By contrast, decades of public health studies (summarised by the WHO) show that comprehensive sex education delays sexual debut, reduces risky behaviour, and encourages safer sex.

In short, young people with good knowledge tend to wait longer before first sex and use protection better, contrary to the scare stories.

In India even basic topics like menstruation are poorly understood by many boys, let alone girls. In fact, one recent study noted that rural boys often get “little to no information” about periods, reinforcing myths and stigma.

If half the population doesn’t even know how to talk about menstruation, it’s no surprise we lag behind on broader sexuality education.

SEX EDUCATION ABROAD: EARLY STARTS AND THEIR PAYOFF

Many Western countries have shown that early, age-appropriate sex education is both doable and effective. Take the Netherlands: sex education there starts shockingly young.

The Dutch curriculum begins lessons about relationships and bodies at around four years old, and covers a broad range of topics through primary and secondary school.

It became mandatory for all schools to teach Relationships and Sexuality Education in 2012. The results speak volumes. The Netherlands consistently has the lowest teen pregnancy rate in Europe, and young people score their sex education highly in satisfaction surveys.

Notably, Dutch teens use contraception almost universally on first intercourse, and nearly 90% use it later on.

This isn’t unique. Countries like Sweden and the UK also include sex education early on. In Sweden, family-life education has been a fixture for decades, and the teen fertility rate there plummeted long ago.

In the UK, the 2020 law made Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory in all secondary schools, with guidance to start some topics in primary.

Where sex education has been woven into curricula (often by biology or health teachers trained in the subject, or by external health experts), studies report fewer teenage pregnancies and even lower rates of sexual violence.

The teaching methods vary: some countries have a weekly or monthly class, others fold sessions into existing subjects, or hold occasional workshops. But almost all avoid leaving it to chance.

Teachers typically undergo special training or use vetted materials to ensure the content is age-appropriate and sensitive.

For example, the Dutch government partners with the Rutgers organisation to train teachers via online courses and school workshops. Schools are encouraged to create a safe environment, so kids can ask honest questions.

In any case, the key is regular, structured education – not a one-off “talk” or an optional pamphlet.

STUMBLING ATTEMPTS AT SEX EDUCATION IN INDIA

India’s experience with sex education has been rocky. Every time a well-intended plan took shape, a social backlash often halted it.

NCERT’s 2007 Adolescence Education Programme (AEP) included modules on puberty, HIV/AIDS and reproductive health, but several state governments withdrew it after fierce parental and political backlash.

Back then, the Maharashtra state assembly erupted in protest—legislators tore up CBSE textbooks on “adolescence life skills” and formally banned sex education in schools.

This move was part of a broader national resistance, with six states—Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Kerala—suspending the NCERT’s Adolescence Education Programme, with politicians calling sex ed “against our culture” or “Western propaganda.”

Critics argued the content was too explicit, that the images and language violated local “cultural values”, would corrupt children’s innocence, and unsuitable for school environments.

Nationally, the Adolescent Education Programme run by NGOs was shut down, and NCERT’s attempts to update science textbooks with reproductive health content have often been watered down or scrapped after parent groups complained.

Ironically, these bans ignore harsh facts: India already has more than 4,500 cases of child sexual abuse reported each year in some states, plus one of the highest population sizes. The cultural argument hasn’t stopped the problems, it just leaves children clueless.

In 2019, CBSE introduced a module on sex education again, initially termed ‘Sex Education’, later rebranded as ‘Sexuality Education’, and ultimately combined with life skills under the Adolescence Education Programme. This again faced criticism from various quarters.

As of 2025, the discourse around sex education in India continues to evolve. While challenges persist, some states are taking proactive steps to address the need for sex education. Back in 2018, the government launched an activity-based module in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh, under Ayushman Bharat.

Karnataka recently announced that from next academic year it will introduce sex education (Classes 8 to 12) with two sessions a week, led by medical professionals, along with health check-ups and counselling.

Also, Jharkhand’s Khunti district has begun monthly sessions under its School Health and Wellness Programme to address early pregnancies among minors.

IS INDIA READY NOW?

So even though the Supreme Court is waving the green flag for early sex education, is the field ripe? The answer is complicated.

Consider the resources: India has an enormous school system with massive class sizes. Most teachers have no training in sexuality education.

A recent Kerala study found that only 3.6% of surveyed teachers could name the male or female sex organs, and over half didn’t know basic things like the legal age of consent. After a teacher training initiative there, officials found many educators had never heard of the POCSO child protection law.

If teachers themselves are uncertain, and that too in what is touted as India’s most progressive and educated state, how will they confidently guide kids through puberty and consent?

Even aside from knowledge gaps, maturity varies wildly among 12-year-olds. Some sixth graders might still find talk of sex deeply embarrassing or scary. There’s a risk that a graphic lesson might traumatise some children.

On the other hand, giving only bland facts to an older teen might be too little too late. Timing and sensitivity are key, and getting that balance right is a real challenge on a broad scale.

Then there’s the ongoing resistance. Educators know that official guidelines can be undermined by local sentiment. Even if the curriculum says “do sex ed,” community pressure can lead teachers to gloss over the tougher parts. With religious and political groups ready to label such education as “anti-Indian,” the climate is hostile.

Lastly, India is still catching up on more basic awareness issues. Many women in villages still face menstruation without proper information or facilities, let alone negotiation in a relationship when it comes to family planning.

Surveys show that many educated women also hide their period experiences, but men are often entirely uninformed — some have never even discussed menstruation with a partner. For example, a recent survey found over 50% of educated urban men had never bought a menstrual hygiene product for their partner.

If large swathes of the population are currently ignorant about the biology of menstruation or family planning, it suggests we have a long way to go before a coherent sex-education programme can be widely accepted and effective.

In rural areas like parts of Haryana, videos and interviews (e.g. Lallantop’s vox pops) suggest men don’t know what menstruation is, despite having children. Shame, stigma and silence again prevent basic biological knowledge from reaching everyone.

SO, WHAT NEXT?

Clearly, pushing sex education into schools might have to be a phased process. One practical step could be equipping teachers first – just as Kerala did with “Project X” – so that by the time a curriculum is mandated, educators are not flying blind.

Another is starting conversations with parents. Many experts suggest that making parents the allies, by running community workshops about puberty and consent, could ease fears.

If parents learn how and when to talk to their children about bodies and safe sexual behaviour, it might organically prepare kids until a formal sex education class arrives.

For now, India’s priority may need to be raising awareness at all levels: in communities, teacher training colleges and among policymakers.

As one human rights advocate puts it, sex education is not a concession to “western ways” but a tool to respect partners and reduce abuse.

It’s an idea whose time arguably has come in India – but it may take careful groundwork before most Indians feel truly “ready” to roll it out in schools. Until then, even if the Supreme Court has given a wake-up call, the country will likely proceed cautiously, one step at a time.

– Ends