Sikkim University has instituted a one-day menstruation vacation policy for female students. As part of the regulation, female students are allowed to take one day off each month throughout their menstrual cycle. The decision takes effect right now. The Sikkim University Students’ Association (SUSA) submitted a proposal on November 20, 2024, which resulted to the introduction of menstrual leave.
The group advocated for this regulation in order to assist students throughout their menstrual periods, acknowledging the challenges that they may face. At Sikkim University, which aims to create a welcoming environment for its students, this new policy is a step in the right direction toward satisfying the needs of female students. The university’s management has said that it is committed to ensuring the comfort and happiness of each and every student. On the first or second day of their menstrual cycle, female employees would be allowed to take a leave of absence.
This action is consistent with the broader debate on menstrual leave laws in India. Women and transwomen should receive three days of paid leave during their periods, according to the Right of Women to Menstrual Leave and Free Access to Menstrual Health Products Bill, 2022, albeit it has not yet been passed. The Supreme Court emphasized that policy-making, not judicial intervention, should be the focus of this issue when it recently urged the central government to develop a model policy for menstruation leave for female employees.