Karnataka SEP panel backs sex education for PU students, proposes textbook overhaul

Karnataka’s State Education Policy (SEP) panel has proposed adding comprehensive sex education to the curriculum for pre-university students in Classes 11 and 12, along with major changes under a new Comprehensive Curriculum for School Education.

Officials familiar with the proposal said the program would go beyond reproductive biology, covering emotional well-being, consent, gender sensitivity, protection from abuse, and coping with hormonal changes.

The SEP panel maintained that introducing the subject at the PU level is more suitable, as students in Classes 9 and 10 may lack the maturity to understand it fully.

They warned that teaching it earlier might not be “grade-appropriate” and could lead to misinterpretation or misuse.

The recommendation comes amid a rise in cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

SEP members said this shows many adolescents face abuse without proper knowledge of consent and decision-making, stressing that such awareness should be provided at an age when students are emotionally ready.

This approach contrasts with the state government’s earlier plan, announced by Minister for School Education and Literacy Madhu Bangarappa in the Legislative Council during the Belagavi session in December 2024, to make sex education compulsory from Classes 8 to 12 with two sessions a week.

By mid-2025, preparations for its rollout were underway, though the term “adolescent education” was used to avoid controversy.

For the broader curriculum overhaul, the commission said Karnataka’s current textbooks fall short of desired standards.

It has called for better quality material that also reflects the state’s socio-cultural context to be included in the syllabus.