KL This Week: Menstrual, Maternity Leave For University Students

The students of the state universities in Kerala are granted menstrual leave by the higher education department. The minimum attendance requirement for girls is brought down to 73% instead of 75%, while maternity leave for 60 days will also be granted to ensure the continuation of studies. 

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its recent report has praised the state for ensuring pension for more than 75% of the senior citizens. The information was shared in the RBI annual report on the state finances 2022-23.

The High Court of Kerala has raised concerns over the missing ballot box with 482 postal votes in Perinthalmanna assembly constituency. The box was later recovered from a government office even as the hearing on considering the postal votes is continuing. The left democratic front (LDF) lost the elections by 38 votes. 

The ‘Mandalam’ season in the hill shrine of Sabarimala came to a close on January 19. Two workers died in the fire cracker accident which took place on January 2.

The government of Kerala has appointed former Congress leader K V Thomas as its special representative in Delhi with cabinet rank. Newsclick brings a round up of the happenings across Kerala this week. 

MENSTRUAL LEAVE SANCTIONED

Kerala became the first state in the country to ensure menstrual leave for students studying in the state run higher education institutions. The order issued by the higher education department has announced 60 days maternity leave for students above the age of 18. 

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan tweeted after the announcement of the menstrual leave.

The girl students will be permitted to appear for the semester examination with a minimum of 73% attendance, instead of the prevailing norm of 75%. 

The Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) was the first to announce the landmark decision on January 11. The Kerala Technological University (KTU) immediately followed suit. 

The Students Federation of India (SFI) led students council, headed by girl students in both the universities had placed the demand to ensure the physical and mental well being of the students requiring leaves. The higher education department immediately replicated the model across the state now. 

MORE THAN 76% SENIOR CITIZENS RECEIVE PENSION

Around 49.84 lakh senior citizens of Kerala are covered under any of the pension schemes rolled out by the government. This accounts for 65 lakh senior citizens in the state. The senior citizens are covered under different pension schemes like old age pension (OAP), agricultural labour pension and welfare fund board pension. 

The government pays Rs 1,600 as OAP, which was merely Rs 500 per month when the LDF assumed power in 2016. The RBI was critical of the welfare measures rolled out by the government of Kerala, but the government is firm on ensuring financial security for the deserving population.

SHANKAR MOHAN RESIGNS

The director of K R Narayanan Institute of Visual Science and Arts, Shankar Mohan has resigned after allegations of caste discrimination in the institute. The students of the institute have been holding marathon protests against the director for the discriminatory practices prevailing in the institute, including the violation of reservation norms in admission procedure.

The higher education department had constituted a committee on the allegations of the students which had submitted the recommendations to the minister. 

‘CONGRESS FEARS INTELLECTUALS’

Congress MP and former Kerala Pradesh COngress Committee (KPCC) president, K Muraleedharan has claimed that the party has always feared intellectuals, in an apparent reference to the tussle between Shashi Tharoor and KPCC leadership. 

He was quoted saying, “Congress is always afraid of those who read a write”, reported Mathrubhumi, a malayalam daily. Muraleedharan had extended support to Tharoor in his efforts to set foot in the state politics, to which the KPCC leaders have raided opposition. 

Tariq Anwar, the incharge of Kerala from the AICC had submitted a report to the leadership on the ongoing tussle. 

PERINTHALMANNA ELECTION CASE CONTINUES

The High Court has expressed concerns over the missing postal votes ballot from the Perinthalmanna assembly constituency. The court is hearing a case filed by the LDF candidate, K P M Mustafa on recounting of votes including the 482 postal votes rejected during counting.

The united democratic front (UDF) candidate Najeeb Kanthapuram won the 2021 assembly election by a narrow margin of 38 votes. The LDF candidate has expressed hopes of winning the elections if the rejected votes are counted. 

The box went missing from the Sub Registrar Office in Perinthalmanna and was recovered from the Office of the District Joint Registrar of Cooperative Societies. The Malappuram district Collector has issued notice to 4 employees over the incident. 

‘MANDALAM-MAKARAVILAKKU’ SEASON ENDS

The Mandalam- Makaravilakku season came to a closure on January 19, the customary yearly festival in Sabarimala. The collections during the season stood at Rs 310 crores till January 12, the highest ever. The temple will open for the monthly poojas on February 17.

A contact worker, who was injured in the fire cracker accident in the Sabarimala Sannidhanam on January 2 succumbed to the burn injuries. Earlier another worker had died immediately after the accident.