Girl on period takes exam outside classroom in Coimbatore, principal suspended

COIMBATORE: A student at a private school in Kinathukadavu near Coimbatore was forced to write her annual examination by sitting outside her classroom because she was menstruating. The principal of the school has been suspended for violation of the RTE Act.

The incident, which took place on Monday, sparked outrage after a video of the class 8 student, belonging to a scheduled caste, taking her exams by sitting on the steps outside the classroom was circulated on social media.

It is learnt that while the girl’s mother had requested the school to allow her daughter to appear for the exam by sitting alone in a classroom, the school authorities made her sit outside. The girl informed her mother who visited the school the next day and recorded her daughter’s plight on a mobile phone.

In her written response to the Education Department, the school correspondent claimed it was the girl’s mother who requested the principal to make her daughter sit alone for the exam.

“As the girl attained puberty on April 5, the principal informed her mother over the phone that ‘it’s okay even if she misses the exams.’ She was made to sit alone only at the request of her mother. Yet, the principal has been suspended for acting in violation of the RTE Act,” said the correspondent.

Chief education officer R Balamurali visited the school on Thursday to conduct an inquiry into the incident. “The principal has been suspended. As it was a holiday, other students could not be quizzed. More action will follow after the completion of the inquiry,” said an official.

Assistant superintendent of police Shristi Singh said the girl’s mother had shared the video with a relative. “An inquiry is under way to find out who circulated the video on social media. The police have yet to receive a complaint on the issue,” she said.