Kerala Government Allows 'Menstrual Leave' In All State Universities

The Kerala government has said that it will soon extend menstrual leave for female students studying in all state universities coming under the Department of Higher Education.

"Taking into consideration the mental and physical difficulties faced by female students during menstruation, necessary steps will be taken to implement menstrual leave in all universities," Higher Education Minister R Bindu said in a Facebook post on Monday.

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CUSAT, first to offer menstrual leave for students

Last week, the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) in a pioneering step announced that female students there can claim 2% additional condonation of shortage of attendance in each semester under "menstruation benefits".

As per the rules of CUSAT, 75% attendance in each semester is mandatory to appear for exams. With the new relaxation, it will come down to 73% for female students.

An autonomous university, CUSAT has over 8,000 students in various streams and more than half of them are girls.

CUSAT had taken the decision following a representation made by the SFI-led students' union of the university.

CUSAT

CUSAT's menstrual leave policy

The order would be applicable to female students of all streams, including those pursuing PhD, in the university and is expected to be implemented with immediate effect.

"Having considered the requests for menstruation benefits to female students, the Vice-Chancellor has ordered to sanction an additional 2 per cent of condonation of shortage of attendance to female students, in each semester, subject to reporting to the Academic Council," a recent order issued by the joint registrar of CUSAT had said.

Hailing the decision taken by the Cochin University the minister said it was for the first time in Kerala that an educational centre has given menstrual leave to students.

Following the order by CUSAT, female students in other universities in Kerala had also raised similar demands.

MG University has maternity leave for students

In December, Kottayam-based Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) had granted a maternity leave of 60 days to degree and postgraduate students of 18 years and above.

MGU

According to the university, the maternity leave can be taken before or after delivery, but will be granted only for the first or second pregnancy and only once during duration of a course.

The period of leave will include public and ordinary holidays and no other leave can be clubbed with it, the release said.

A leave of 14 days will be granted in cases of abortion, tubectomy etc, it said.

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To ensure that the studies of the students are not affected due to pregnancy, those taking maternity leave during a semester will be allowed to register for exams of that semester but can write it as a supplementary along with regular students in the next semester.

However, they will not lose a semester as after their maternity leave is over they can continue their studies in the current semester with their own batch, the release said.

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