This Kerala university is granting menstruation benefits to female students

She said, “The university has sanctioned an additional 2 percentage point of condonation of shortage of attendance to female students to write the exams. This can be availed in each semester.”

Long-pending decision

According to her, this was a long-pending demand from the chairman of the students’ union. The autonomous university has about 8,000 students, of whom more than 4,000 are girls.

The autonomous university has about 8,000 students, of which more than 4,000 are girls. (Wikimedia Commons)

The university recently issued an order signed by the joint registrar stating, “Having considered the requests for menstruation benefits to female students, the vice-chancellor has ordered to sanction an additional 2 percent of condonation of shortage of attendance to female students, in each semester, subject to reporting to the Academic Council.”

Meera said that the university authorities felt that both physical and mental problems related to menstruation were of genuine concern.

Also read: Kerala grants ₹200 crore more for health protection scheme

“Despite arguments around gender bias and equality, the problems some women go through during their menstrual cycle is something that can’t be dismissed,” she explained.

The authorities apparently felt that this issue had not been addressed properly, and the decision to sanction additional attendance was taken after a thorough discussion.

A formal proposal in this regard was recently submitted to the vice-chancellor, who approved it, following which an order was issued.

Can all female students avail this benefit?

Meera V, Registrar (CUSAT website)

The registrar also said that this permission would be different for each student and, hence, the exact number of leave days was not mentioned in the order.

The student can avail 2 percentage point additional attendance every semester.

The order would be applicable to female students of all streams, including those pursuing PhD, in the university.

It was expected to be implemented with immediate effect, the official added.

Namitha George, an LLB student and chairperson of the university students’ union, expressed happiness that the officials had met their demand without any objections.

“As per the rules, CUSAT students need 75 percent attendance in each semester to appear for the exams. But through the new order, female students will get a relaxation of 2 percent in this and their eligible attendance is lowered to 73 percent in each semester,” she said.

The order would be submitted before the academic council for procedural approval, and was expected to be implemented soon after getting its nod.

This order brought happiness to students, with several of them praising CUSAT and Mahatma Gandhi University, which recently granted a maternity leave of 60 days to degree and PG students aged 18 years and above.

MGU also granted 14 days of leave for abortions or tubectomy surgeries.

Looking at it from both sides

Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam. (Creative Commons)

South First reached out to two advocates and received opposing views on the matter.

Soujanya Rao, an advocate and women’s activist, said, “Such provisions should be given to women students of all universities and also women employees of all companies, both government and private. Issues during menstrual cycles are genuine and ‘period leave’ will definitely benefit them.”

While senior advocate and former Karnataka Women and Child Welfare Department Pramila Nesargi said, “What is so special about this? It is a natural process and, in my opinion, this move from the university and the demand from the unions is unwarranted and unnecessary. They can’t then participate in any cultural event or sports activities also. If they are having health issues, they should get it treated and not ask for blanket additional benefits like this.”

Menstrual benefits everywhere!

Meanwhile, it may be noted that a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking menstrual leave for female students and working women across India has already been filed recently in the Supreme Court.

The petition was filed by advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi. In his petition, he even cited a study by the University College of London where the amount of pain a female goes through while menstruating is equated to that felt during a heart attack.

Meera told South First that when she was doing research on this provision, she found that the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Spain, Zambia and a few other countries are already providing menstrual pain leave.

(With PTI inputs)

Also read: Kerala MP spreads awareness with period pain simulator