Kochi: In a novel initiative the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) has decided to grant menstrual leaves from the current semester. The University authorities took the decision following intervention by the students' union. According to the new direction issued by the CUSAT authorities girl students have been granted two per cent extra leave.
CUSAT officials said that till now all students were required to have at least 75 per cent attendance to be eligible for appearing in the semester examinations. If any student has less than 75 per cent attendance then he or she had to submit an application to the Vice Chancellor with a medical certificate.
But now with the CUSAT authorities' decision of granting menstrual leaves, the minimum attendance for girl students will be 73 per cent as they will be allowed to take two per cent extra leave. CUSAT officials said that two avail the two per cent extra leave, girl students will neither be required to show any reason nor will they have to submit a medical application adding that only submitting an application will suffice.
The decision will benefit over 4000 female students at the University which has a total of 8,000 students."Having considered the requests for menstruation benefits to female students, the Vice-Chancellor has ordered to sanction an additional 2% of condonation of shortage of attendance to female students, in each semester, subject to reporting to the Academic Council," a recent order issued by the joint registrar said.
The novel decision by the CUSAT authorities has come following the intervention of the SFI-led student's union the chairperson and the general secretary are both women. Namitha George, a final-year LLB student, is the Chairperson and Megha Laujan, a native of Vaikom, is the general secretary.
They discussed the issue after the new union officials took charge on December 22 following which they raised the demand to the university authorities. They submitted a written application on January 3 and their demand was accepted by the CUSAT authorities after further discussion. " We will try to implement the decision of menstrual leaves in other universities as well," said Namitha.
