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MUMBAI, MARCH 30: The CBSE’s efforts to introduce sex education in schools under its Adolescent Education Programme (AEP) has run into a wall in Maharasthra, where the state government has succumbed to demands from MLAs and declared that not only will it ban all books on sex education that are part of the CBSE school syllabus, it will also not introduce the subject in Std X at schools following the state syllabus.

The decision comes in response to a demand from both Opposition and ruling party MLAs, some of who believe sex education can corrupt young minds.

Minister of State for School Education Hasan Mushrif announced the decision in the Assembly after the Opposition and Treasury benches held up copies of excerpts from the CBSE syllabus and demanded that the state refrain from introducing sex education in schools.

Some MLAs also waved copies of a state government-published booklet, Kishorawastha Jivan Kaushalya Karyakram, that instructs teachers on how to introduce sex education.

Even this demand, Mushrif conceded. “The booklet published by us is for use of teachers not students,” he said. “But we are withdrawing it. And as far as sex education books in CBSE schools are concerned, we’ll ban them they way we banned James Laine’s book (on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj). We will inform CBSE.”

The issue was raised in the House through a calling attention motion by Rajendra Patni (Shiv Sena) and others. They alleged that “western countries” had compelled the Centre to introduce sex education, which had the potential of “spoiling the younger generation”, in CBSE schools.

They demanded action against “such books” and also opposed the state government’s own efforts to introduce sex education. Though the minister circulated a written reply, they were not satisfied, so the minister made the announcement.

Many MLAs, from both sides, had rushed to the well of the House to demand immediate action, creating a din that prompted the Speaker to adjourn the Assembly for 30 minutes. The minister then announced the ban on the CBSE book and assured members the state itself won’t introduce sex education in schools following the state syllabus.

The controversy began, across many parts of the country, actually, after the Centre sent out a circular for immediate implementation of the Adolescent Education Programme (AEP) in all CBSE and state-syllabus schools. The uproar is over the handbooks, the flip-charts, and fact sheets, which are in fact meant for teachers, sent out as part of the programme.

One of the handbooks, for instance, instructs teachers in developing lectures on physical changes during adolescence, conception, sex, sexuality and gender, and so forth. It also asks teachers to encourage all students to speak out the names of sex organs and parts of the human reproductive system so that no one is shy in discussing matters related to sex. Then there are lists of essay topics, like “If there were no condoms...” and “If there were no clothes...” “I have seen those books on sex education and they are not suitable for anybody,” said Arundhati Chavan, chairperson, Parent-Teacher Association United Forum. “Though sex education is important enough to be taught in schools, it should be done according to the level of the child. It can be done in a couple of sessions of what to do and what not to do. They need not get into such explicit details of physiology.”

“We haven’t received any books yet, but we have been seeing them in television. The (AEP) has a holistic view of the subject rather than just sex education,” said Avnita Bir, principal, Podar School. “It was first introduced to principals. Then sessions were to be held with certain teachers, who would then pass it on to their colleagues.”