Onmanorama Explains | Why Kerala is introducing menstrual leave for school students

Kerala’s decision to introduce up to three days of menstrual leave every month for school students, under the ‘Project Menstrual Dignity’ initiative, marks another significant step in India’s evolving conversation around menstrual health, gender-sensitive policy, and the realities young girls face in educational spaces.

The announcement, made as part of the policy address of the new V D Satheesan-led Congress government, is expected to benefit school-going girls across the state. The initiative also proposes weekend catch-up classes to ensure students do not fall behind academically while availing the leave.

The proposal has once again brought menstrual leave into public discussion, with doctors and educators pointing out that period pain and related discomfort are still not taken seriously enough in schools and other institutions, especially when it comes to adolescent girls.

Kerala’s evolving approach to menstrual leave
Kerala’s latest proposal did not emerge in isolation. The state has, over the last few years, gradually expanded menstrual leave policies across educational institutions. In March 2023, the Kerala government announced menstrual leave for female students studying in all state universities under the Department of Higher Education. The decision came shortly after the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) became one of the first institutions in the state to formally implement menstrual benefits for students following a representation from its students’ union in January that year.

At CUSAT, female students were granted additional condonation for shortage of attendance, with an extra leave benefit of two per cent allowed each semester.

The state later extended similar measures to Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). In November 2024, the Kerala government announced a menstrual leave policy for female trainees in ITIs, allowing them two days of leave every month. The move was seen as particularly significant given the physically demanding nature of many skill-training programmes, including trades where women have increasingly begun participating.

But Kerala’s association with menstrual leave policies dates back far beyond recent policy reforms. Historical records indicate that the Government Girls School in Tripunithura, in the erstwhile princely state of Cochin, had permitted 'period leave' for students as early as 1912. Students who missed annual examinations due to menstruation were reportedly allowed to write them later, making it one of the earliest documented instances of menstrual accommodation in educational spaces in the region.

The importance of emotional support during menstruation is something some schools in Kerala have already begun addressing independently. Labour India Gurukulam Public School in Kottayam introduced period leave for students in 2023, particularly considering the needs of girls in its residential campus.
School PRO Amalu said the institution recognised that hostel students often depend heavily on teachers during menstruation because they are away from home.

“Menstruation is part of the growing-up process for young girls. In residential schools, teachers often become the primary caregivers during that time. We felt students needed parental care and emotional support, which is why we implemented the scheme,” she said.
According to Amalu, the school provides up to two days of leave depending on the student’s condition. She added that the institution also conducts monthly awareness classes on menstruation for both boys and girls and continues to provide counselling support.
“These days, many girls are attaining puberty earlier than before. At that stage, emotional reassurance and proper care become extremely important,” she said.

The medical realities behind menstrual leave
Medical experts say such measures are rooted in physiological realities rather than symbolic gestures. During menstruation, the uterus contracts to shed its lining, releasing prostaglandins, chemical compounds that trigger inflammation and pain signals. The intensity of these symptoms varies widely from person to person.

Dr Gayathri, Assistant Professor of Community Medicine at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, said the first three days of menstruation are often the most difficult for many girls due to heavy bleeding and severe cramps.

“During the first three days, many girls experience significant pain, fatigue, and discomfort. At school and college levels, students may not be physically or mentally comfortable participating in demanding activities. Many are often forced to attend despite the pain,” she said.

According to Dr Gayathri, while many schools today may provide sanitary napkins and incinerator facilities, adequate rest spaces and immediate medical support are still lacking in several institutions.

“Even if girls come to school, there are often no proper arrangements for them to rest. Menstrual difficulties also differ from person to person. For some, heavy bleeding may reduce in three days, while for others it can continue for nearly a week,” she explained.
Dr Gayathri also pointed out that menstruation is now occurring at younger ages in many girls due to multiple factors, including lifestyle changes, making support systems within schools increasingly important.

What research says about menstrual pain and productivity
The discussion around menstrual leave, however, also intersects with larger questions about equality, labour participation, and stigma. Despite menstruation being a biological reality, many women continue to feel pressured to conceal discomfort in academic and professional environments for fear of appearing weak or less committed.

According to the report 'Menstrual Leave in India: A Right to Rest or a Roadblock to Equality?' by Aleena Henry, around seven in ten women experience menstrual pain and related difficulties to varying degrees. The report notes that severe period pain can, in some cases, be comparable in intensity to a heart attack.

Another report, 'Periods, Policies, and Prejudices: The Debate on Menstrual Leave in India' by Nalini Bhattar (Research scholar, Aligarh Muslim University) points out that India still lacks a coordinated national menstrual leave law despite growing conversations around the issue.

Data cited by Women’s Health Concern, a UK-based non-profit organisation, indicate that nearly 80 per cent of women experience dysmenorrhea, while around 40 per cent experience premenstrual symptoms severe enough to affect daily functioning and productivity.

Menstrual leave policies across India
Outside Kerala, Bihar was among the earliest states in India to introduce menstrual leave, implementing a policy in 1992 that grants women employees two days of paid leave every month during menstruation.

More recently, Karnataka became the first Indian state to approve a comprehensive cross-sector menstrual leave policy for women employees. On October 9, 2025, the Karnataka cabinet approved a policy granting one paid menstrual leave every month to women working across government offices, garment factories, IT firms, multinational companies, and private industrial units. Odisha and Sikkim are among the other Indian states that also provide paid menstrual leave.