According to a study released by Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, youths living in rustic regions are more likely to have prenuptial sex than their urban cousins.

In general, 15% males and 4% females reported engaging in sexual activity before marriage.

The research carried out under the protection of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare discovered, "17 percent men in rural areas engaged in pre-marital sex compared to 10 percent in cities while four percent women in rural areas engaged in sex before marriage against two percent in cities."

The research discovered that youngsters in both urban and rustic regions were engaging in unprotected sex, arousing the need to offer up sex education to teenagers in India.

The research was carried out in 6 states including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu between 2006 and 2008, comprisng more than 58,000 young persons aged between 15-29 years.

"We have data from states which says that more than eight percent of young people below the age of 19 years have experimented with sex. In our changing society both boys and girls are definitely in need of information and counselling," Azad said after releasing the study.

Results of the study showed that condoms use within prenuptial sex was almost absent and most of those engaging in pre-marital sex had many partners.

The research also discovered that complete awareness of contraceptive methods was incomplete, particularly among sexually active young women.

"Awareness of HIV/AIDS was limited among sexually experienced youth with majority of women unaware of it," the study said.

The research was conducted by the Population Council, Delhi and International Institute of Population Sciences, Mumbai. (With Input from Agencies)