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.

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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. Without healthy sex education and educational materials, youngsters often learn about sex from unreliable sources. In today’s internet age, many teens turn to pornography for answers. (AI-generated image)

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 so