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@article{186593,
        author = {Santosh Kumar},
        title = {A study of teachers' perspectives on the need for sex education parallel to inclusive education.},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2025},
        volume = {12},
        number = {6},
        pages = {1352-1360},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=186593},
        abstract = {Inclusive Education (IE) has been constitutionally and policy-wise mandated in India to ensure equitable access to education for all children. Under Article 21(A) of the Constitution, every child has the right to free and compulsory education. Key legal and policy frameworks, including the Right to Education (RTE) Act 2009, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, and the National Education Policy (NEP 2020), reinforce the principles of inclusivity in schools. Similarly, there is a growing need to integrate sex education as a mandatory component of the school curriculum to promote self-protection, gender equality, ethical values, and responsible behavior among students. This study employed a survey method involving a sample of 100 teachers from diverse schools. The findings indicate that a majority of teachers recognize the necessity of sex education. However, despite the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012, and the National Health Policy 2017, the implementation of sexual education faces significant challenges, including inadequate teacher training, lack of resources, and prevailing social taboos. The study recommends that sex education should be made policy-mandated, similar to inclusive education, to ensure that all children - particularly those with disabilities and intellectual impairments - are empowered, safe, and socially sensitive citizens.},
        keywords = {Inclusive Education, sex education, teacher perspective, RPwD Act 2016, POCSO Act 2012, NEP 2020, empowerment.},
        month = {November},
        }