Sex Education: Is India Ready?

There is no need for sex education in schools or to make it part of the curriculum under the new education policy proposed by the centre as it will have a negative impact on children, an educational body affiliated to the BJP's ideological mentor the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh said this week. As of now the National Education Policy draft, which was given to the Education Minister in May this year, states that sex education will be included in secondary school studies on topics like consent, harassment, respect for women, safety, family planning, and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.

We are asking tonight - Does sex education in our curriculum need an upgrade? As the country with the worlds largest youth population? Does the government need to wake up to the importance sex education? Are our policymakers blind to the fact that more teens are having sex, while few use birth control? Is India heading for a looming teen sexual revolution for which we are woefully under prepared? Is sex education is the need of the hour, for adolescents as well as adults, especially in rural and underdeveloped areas?