'Students above 18 years of age to get menstrual, maternity leave,' says Kerala Higher Education Minister

Cochin: The Department of Higher Education has granted menstrual periods to female students of all universities in Kerala. The Higher Education Minister R Bindu has announced that university rules will be changed for this purpose and female college students of universities under the Higher Education Department will get the benefit of the law. The minister said that the department has also granted a maternity leave of up to 60 days to female students who are above 18 years of age. The required attendance percentage for female students will be 73 percent, including the menstrual leave, as against 75 percent earlier. 

"Girl students above 18 years of age can get a maximum of 60 days of maternity leave. The required attendance percentage for female students will be 73 percent, including the menstrual leave, as against 75 percent earlier. The order has been issued in this regard," Higher Education Minister R Bindu said.

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Earlier on Tuesday (January 17), Bindu said that the government is considering granting menstrual leaves in all the state varsities as recently announced by the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT). The CUSAT on Saturday (January 14) announced the grant of menstrual leaves to its female students. 

Once again, Kerala sets a model for the nation. Menstrual and maternity leaves will be granted to female students of all institutions under our Department of Higher Education, reaffirming LDF Government's commitment to realising a gender just society.@unwomenchief @UN_Women

— Pinarayi Vijayan (@pinarayivijayan) January 19, 2023

"Considering the mental and physical difficulties faced by female students during menstruation, the Kerala government is planning to extend this to all universities under the State Higher Education Department," Bindu said in a press release issued from her office. Menstrual leave was implemented in the CUSAT based on demand from the student union led by SFI, the release said. The CUSAT on Saturday announced an additional 2 percent of condonation of shortage of attendance to female students in each semester on requests for "menstruation benefits" to female students. 

Usually, only students who have 75 percent attendance of the total working days will be allowed to appear for each semester examination. With menstrual leave giving two percent condonation of shortage of attendance, the mandatory attendance would be brought down to 73 percent for women students. A proposal from CUSAT Students Union and various students' organisations was formally submitted to the Vice-Chancellor recently and it was approved following which an order was issued, the varsity has said. 

(With inputs from ANI)