A 16-year-old student at a government school in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly was allegedly denied a sanitary pad by the principal after she got her period during an exam on Friday.
According to her family, the girl, studying in Class 11, was made to wait outside the exam hall for over an hour, but was not given a pad. She was then sent home, bleeding through her clothes, after being denied entry to continue her exam.
The family has since filed a formal complaint with the district inspector of schools (DIOS) and forwarded it to various authorities, including the women and child welfare department and the state women’s commission, demanding action against the school, Times of India reported.
“The allegation has been made by the student’s father, who submitted a written complaint. We have formed a two-member team and sought a report on the matter. It is also being verified whether sanitary pads were available at the school. Some social organisations and the govt are running awareness campaigns to educate students, and guidelines have been issued to ensure pads are available in all schools across the district,” TOI quoted DIOS Ajit Kumar as saying.
The father of the girl said the principal and teachers “ignored” her needs, adding, “She had to return home in a terrible condition. She is traumatised and now refuses to go to school due to the embarrassment she experienced.”
In response, the acting principal of the school, Rachna Arora, clarified, “I was informed that the student had asked for pads, but I was occupied with urgent matters. She was told to wait, but she left with her friends. By the time I was free, I learned she had already gone home.”
In September 2024, the Uttar Pradesh government announced a new program to provide sanitary pads to girls in government schools. The aim is to improve health, hygiene, and school attendance for young girls, especially in rural areas.
The government has set aside ₹1.1 crore for this initiative, which will help 36,772 girls in 535 schools. These schools are part of the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM Shri) program for the 2024-25 school year. The school management committees will be responsible for buying and distributing the pads to ensure every girl gets access.