Kerala to grant menstrual leave for students of all state universities

The Kerala government announced on Monday that it would grant menstrual leave to female students studying at all state universities under the Department of Higher Education.

Higher Education Minister R Bindu said the government has decided to implement menstrual leave in all state universities under the purview of the department, taking a cue from the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT).

She praised Cochin University’s recent decision, saying it was the first time in Kerala that an educational institution had granted students menstrual leave.

CUSAT made the decision in response to a request from the university’s SFI-led students’ union. Given the students’ long-standing demand, the varsity sanctioned an additional 2% condonation of lack of attendance to female students in each semester on January 11.

CUSAT, an autonomous university, has over 8,000 students in various fields, with more than half of them being female.