The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that it has decided to introduce comprehensive sex education in schools and colleges across the country based on the recommendations of a national expert committee. The programme will be implemented after the Supreme Court grants its approval. The move aims to promote age-appropriate awareness, child safety, and healthy development among students while addressing growing concerns over cases involving minors under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Appearing before a bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati informed the court that the government has accepted the committee's recommendations and plans to implement them nationwide.
According to the report submitted before the Supreme Court, comprehensive sex education in schools will begin from the primary level with age-appropriate lessons. The committee recommended that every school appoint a dedicated expert teacher to conduct mandatory classes for 15 to 20 minutes at least twice a week.
The proposed curriculum will focus on essential topics such as body safety, hygiene, understanding body parts, and identifying safe and unsafe touch. As students grow older, the lessons will gradually cover broader aspects of adolescent health, relationships, and life skills.
The committee has also recommended that the NCERT develop the curriculum to ensure uniform implementation across the country.
The expert panel has also suggested organising regular meetings for parents, guardians, and teachers. These sessions will help families understand children's developmental milestones and the importance of comprehensive sex education in ensuring their safety and well-being.
The report further recommended that adolescent education in schools and colleges should be implemented in line with the NEP 2020. Existing adolescent education programmes should also be reviewed and strengthened to promote holistic development, critical thinking, safety awareness, and life skills among students.
The recommendations were prepared by a 26-member national expert committee constituted by the Centre. The panel was headed by an Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Women and Child Development and included experts from TISS, clinical psychologists, central ministries, state governments, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), and legal experts.
The committee was formed following a Supreme Court direction to examine ways to prevent increasing cases of minor pregnancies and the criminalisation of consensual adolescent relationships under the POCSO Act.