Thrissur: The female students of the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) and its affiliated colleges can avail of a maternity leave of six months from now on.

A Senate meeting presided by Vice Chancellor Dr Mohanan Kunnummal decided on the maternity leave for students. Though the Government’s direction was to allow a maternity leave of two months, it was decided to allow a maternity leave of four more months considering the postnatal health care of the mother and the infant.

The course duration would be extended accordingly, but the student on maternity leave will not miss out on examination chances.

The vice chancellor also informed that an expert committee has been entrusted to examine the need for menstruation leave for students.

In January the Higher Education Department issued an order granting menstrual leave for students under all the higher education institutions in Kerala. Girl students can now appear for their semester exams with 73 per cent attendance as against the 75 per cent mandated under the University Rules till now.

The Cochin University of Science and Technology was the first to announce the groundbreaking gender-sensitive reform in the higher education sector.