Sexual Awareness Now Part Of School Curriculum: Kerala Govt Informs High Court

Textbooks for grade 7 now contain sexual awareness programme targeted at informing students, the Kerala government has informed the High Court. Its counsel handed over a copy of Part I of the textbook for STD VII which is about to be rolled out for the coming academic year in the schools following the Kerala syllabus for its curriculum, incorporating sexual awareness programme. 

Counsel for the Central Board of Secondary Education also informed the court that CBSE has launched 4 manuals to be released by end of March, 2024 for sexual awareness classes from the next academic year.

“They have got to get it ingrained in their mind,” observed Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas orally.

The court also remarked on the pledge designed for students to reiterate their rights around bodily consent. “The pledge is a good thing for the younger students. You are subtly telling what is it” added the court.

Smt. Parvathy Menon, counsel for the Victim Rights Centre pointed out that the Union Territory of Lakshadweep also ought to be taken into the purview of the aforesaid programme. Accordingly, the court has impleaded the Lakshadweep Administration as additional respondent.

The Kerala High Court was considering a bail application when it noted the increasingly high rate of sexual offences against children due to lack of awareness. Thus, the Court invoked its writ jurisdiction and impleaded the State of Kerala, the Central Board of Secondary Education and the Kerala State Legal Services Authority and directed them to take steps to include a prevention-oriented curriculum in the school to make students aware of sexual abuse.

Earlier, the Court was informed that SCERT will include awareness about POCSO in their curriculum and textbooks will be prepared by experts.

Matter has been posted for March 11, 2024.

Case Title: Anoop v. State of Kerala

Case Number: Bail Appl. 3273 of 2022

Click here to read/download the order