Kerala government grants menstrual leave for students in all State-run higher educational institutes

In a first in the country, the Kerala government on Thursday issued an order granting menstrual leave for students in all state-run higher edcuation institutions..The order dated January 19 issued by the State Higher Education Department stated that girl students can now appear for their semester exams with 73 percent attendance instead of the 75 percent mandated under the University Rules. Moreover, it also said that all female students above the age of 18 can avail upto 60 days pregnancy leave. As per the order, the State government will expeditiously take steps to amend the University Rules to reflect these changes. .On January 16, the State Minister for Higher Education and Social Justice, R Bindu, had put up a Facebook post praising the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) for being the first educational institution in the State to implement menstrual leaves. CUSAT had recently announced identical policy for menstrual leave as the current government order. The Minister's post on Monday said that the State would be taking necessary steps to implement a similar policy in universities across the State..On Thursday evening, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced the menstrual leave decision via a tweet that said that once again, Kerala has set a model for the nation and that the current decision reaffirms the Left Democratic Front government's commitment to realising a gender just society..Coincidentally, a public interest litigation (PIL) petition was filed before the Supreme Court just last week calling for the introduction of menstrual pain leave or period leave for female students and working women throughout India.Menstrual periods have been knowingly or unknowingly ignored by society, the legislature, and other stakeholders, except for a few organizations and State governments, the petition contended.The PIL filed by a lawyer, advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi, urged the top Court to issue directions to State governments to frame rules for menstrual pain leaves..In 2020, the Delhi High Court had directed the Central and Delhi governments to consider as representation, a petition seeking paid leave for women employees under the government, including daily wage and contractual workers, during their menstruation period..Currently, there is no legal framework in place in India granting the right to women to avail any manner of menstrual benefits, including leaves.Several other countries such as the United Kingdom, China, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Spain, and Zambia have provisions for menstrual pain leave in some form. In India, some companies such as Zomato, Byju’s, Swiggy, Mathrubhumi, etc. offer paid period leaves.Interestingly, all women employees in the Bihar government services have been eligible for two days special menstrual pain leave every month since 1992.The last time there was any development in this regard in the parliament was in 2017 when then Member of Parliament (MP) Nirong Ering introduced the Menstruation Benefits Bill. The Congress leader once again presented the Bill in 2022 on the first day of the Budget Session of the Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly. However, the same was disregarded by the Assembly..[Read Kerala Government Order (Malayalam)]