Centre agrees to introduce sex education in schools, tells Supreme Court

New Delhi: The Central Government on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that it has accepted the recommendations of a national expert committee to introduce comprehensive sex education across schools and colleges in India. The Centre, however, said the recommendations would be implemented only after receiving the court's approval.

Appearing before a Bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati informed the court that the government had accepted the committee's report and was prepared to roll out its recommendations nationwide.

The submission was made during the hearing of a suo motu case examining the increasing number of instances in which consensual relationships between adolescents have resulted in prosecutions under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The Supreme Court has also directed the Centre to explore measures to prevent relationship-related offences and address concerns arising from the application of the POCSO Act in cases involving consensual adolescent relationships.

The court observed that mutually consensual relationships between adolescents, as well as cases involving minor pregnancies, should not automatically be treated as criminal offences under the POCSO Act.

In compliance with the court's earlier directions, the Centre had constituted a 26-member national expert committee chaired by an Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The panel comprises experts from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), clinical psychologists, representatives from central ministries and state governments, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), and the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).

The committee was tasked with examining the impact of the POCSO Act on adolescents involved in consensual relationships while safeguarding their right to privacy.

Among its key recommendations is the introduction of comprehensive sexuality education and child sexual abuse awareness as part of the core school curriculum. The panel also recommended that younger children be taught age-appropriate concepts during their foundational years, including personal hygiene, body awareness, and the distinction between good and bad touch.

For older students, the committee proposed curriculum modules covering child sexual abuse prevention, consent, personal safety, protection from abuse, and age-appropriate sexual and reproductive health education. It said such education would equip children and adolescents with accurate information to recognise abuse, understand consent, and make informed decisions.