Following the example set by Mahatma Gandhi University in Kottayam, a university in Kerala has also decided to offer six months of maternity leave to its female students aged 18 and above. The decision was made by Kerala University, located in Thiruvananthapuram, in response to a recent announcement by the state's Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan. According to the announcement, women students in all institutions under the control of the State government's Higher Education Department will be granted menstrual and maternity leaves stated a report by PTI.
Kerala University stated in its directive that the State government had issued orders granting special menstrual leave for female students in all State universities. This directive fixed the limit of female students' attendance to 73%, including menstrual leave, and also allowed maternity leave for students over the age of 18.
On January 19, the university syndicate decided that if a student takes up to six months of maternity leave, she may return to the college without needing to be readmitted. The syndicate also decided to entrust the principals of the respective colleges with the responsibility of examining the students' medical records.
“If the student avails maternity leave up to six months, the student shall rejoin the college without taking readmission and to entrust the principal to verify the medical records of the candidate and permit to rejoin the college, without taking approval from the university," the order issued on March 2, said as reported by PTI.
MG University has recently announced that it will be offering its students two months of maternity leave. The Higher Education Minister, R Bindu, has declared that this same policy will be implemented in all state universities under the jurisdiction of the department. This decision came after the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) agreed to grant menstrual leave to its students following a request from the university's SFI-led students' union, as reported by PTI.
