Why it is in the news
On 23 September 2026 the World Health Organization (WHO) issued “WHO guidelines on expanding contraceptive options” and, for the first time, Target Product Profiles setting benchmarks for a new generation of reversible male contraceptives. Read against the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6), 2023-24, the guidance exposes India’s imbalance: female sterilisation still dominates contraceptive use, while male sterilisation remains marginal.
The exam angle
Issue: India reached replacement-level fertility largely through female sterilisation, leaving contraceptive responsibility — and surgical risk — overwhelmingly with women.