Menstruating girl forced to write exam outside classroom in Tamil Nadu school

The Dalit girl seen writing her exam sitting on the steps outside the classroom. (Courtesy: X)

A class 8 student in Tamil Nadu was made to sit outside the classroom and write her annual examination because she was menstruating. The incident came to light after the Dalit girl narrated the episode to her parents and complained of pain in her legs.

It was on April 7 that the girl was first forced to sit on the steps outside the examination hall to write her Science paper, suggest reports. When her mother visited Swamy Chidbhavananda Matric Higher Secondary School in Coimbatore on April 9, she was surprised to see her daughter writing her exam sitting alone outside the classroom.

The woman recorded on her phone a video of her daughter taking the examination seated on the steps outside the classroom. The over 1-minute video soon went viral on social media.

It sparked outrage and prompted an official inquiry by the Tamil Nadu School Education Department.

School education minister Anbil Mahesh confirmed that the school principal has been suspended over the incident. He has assured that there will be zero tolerance for any kind of oppression against children.

"A departmental inquiry was conducted against the private school. The school principal has been suspended. Oppression of children in any form cannot be tolerated. Dear student, do not sit alone! We are here. We will be here," his post on X read.

Coimbatore Chief Educational Officer (CEO) R Balamurali and District Educational Officer (DEO) for private schools, Punitha Anthonyammal, on Thursday visited the school and inquired about the incident with the school administration authorities.

Throwing light on the matter, the girl's father said that a request was made to the school administration for arranging a separate desk for her. "My daughter attained puberty last week so she did not go to school. There were two exams scheduled this week and she was willing to write them. Hence, we informed the class teacher that as she had attained puberty, a separate desk and bench could be arranged for her to write the exams in the hall. Because she may feel discomfort," he told the New Indian Express.

However, he added, that the girl was instead made to sit on the steps outside the classroom to write the exams. "When she went to school on Monday to write the Social Science exam, the school administration did not make the arrangement we had requested. Instead, the school administration forced her to write the exam on the steps outside the classroom. As she wrote the exam for two-and-a-half hours on the steps, she felt significant leg pain and told us about this,” he said.