If controversial activist Dinanath Batra has his way, sex education in schools would soon be replaced with Vedic Maths and similar subjects.

Batra does not want sex education to be a part of curriculum in the new school education policy being drafted by the ministry of human resources and development (MHRD). The ministry is seeking inputs from all stakeholders.

Batra's Shiksha Bachao Andolan (SBA) wants Vedic Mathematics, ancient Indian knowledge, spirituality and environment-related principles in Vedas and Upanishadas in the school curriculum and wants sex education out.Formed in 2004, the SBA Samiti has emerged as the most vocal among the Hindutva brigade's moral vigilantes. Over the years, the Samiti has forced several public and private bodies to give in to its demands regarding changes in education.

At present, Central Board of School Education's (CBSE) biology texts for the eight standard and above have chapters on sex education, under the 'Adolescence and Reproductive Sexual Health Programme'. It covers issues related to nutrition, health, hygiene, physical fitness and mental health besides drug abuse, reproductive and sexual health and HIV-AIDS.

Batra (89) was unavailable for comment due to poor health. His colleague and co-convenor of the SBA, Atulbhai Kothari, says, "We need not follow western countries blindly. A simple fact check can tell you that all these countries are witnessing higher incidences of teenage sex. Teaching about sex in classrooms is one of the worst ideas to spoil kids in the name of education. The flawed policy must be corrected," says Kothari, who, along with Batra, is preparing a comprehensive report to "guide" MHRD on the new education policy to be submitted to the ministry by May 2015.

Batra and several right wing groups have been opposing sex education since educationists, psychologists and NGOs started advocating it in the 90s and the CBSE finally introduced it in 2007.

"Teaching sex in classrooms generate unnecessary curiosity among children. Schools can rather have counselling cells to address issues like stress, sexuality, etc. This will also bail out teachers who feel uncomfortable teaching this subject," Kothari says.

"We believe that education must incorporate three basic principles - culture, nature and development. Education must not only offer livelihood but also a vision for life and society, which our current education policy lacks. We have also forgotten ancient Indian knowledge. That's why we want Vedic Maths to be taught in schools," says Kothari.

The SBA claims that its report would be based on "thorough research" on the previous education policies, and country-wide consultation with the stakeholders.

Educationists, predictably, are not sanguine about the SBA stand. "After messing up with Teachers' Day, Children's Day and Christmas, we will not be surprised if the BJP-led central government also accepts these suggestions," a Mumbai University professor said.

Avnita Bir, principal of RN Podar (CBSE) school, says, "CBSE prescribes adolescent education programme. If not taught properly, students would seek information from incorrect sources or people who may harm them."

Parents, too, share similar views. Dr Mani Srivastava, a mother of two, says, "Such drastic changes in education policy must not be allowed. If sex education in schools is dropped, there is a chance that children might be misguided as generally even parents avoid discussing it with kids."

Anjana Prakash, principal of Hansraj Morarji Public School and Junior College (state board), however, feels the right time for sex education is from class 11. "Why to make younger children curious and vulnerable? We can educate them after class 10 when they are little more matured and understand things better. I am glad that the Maharashtra state board doesn't prescribe sex education in schools."

While SBA thinks sex education is a 'dirty topic', experts have a different view. Over 12% unmarried males and 3% unmarried females in the 15-25 age group reported pre-marital sex in a survey by he Population Council and International Institute of Population Sciences in 2006-07. "This shows that social norms are not keeping pace with changing circumstances. And RSS guys definitely have wrong idea about sex education," said a professor at IIPS.

In fact, the Justice JS Verma committee, in its recommendations after the Nirbhaya incident in 2013, had also recommended sex education in schools. School experience has a direct bearing on the extent to which gender violence can be reduced, said the committee in a chapter titled 'Education and Perception Reform'.