Coimbatore News: Class 8 Girl on Her Period Forced to Write Exam on Staircase in School
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu: A shocking case of discrimination has emerged from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, where a Class 8 Dalit student was allegedly forced to write her exams outside the classroom because she was menstruating. The incident took place at Swamy Chidbhavananda Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Senguttaipalayam on April 7 and April 9. A video, reportedly recorded by the girl’s mother, went viral on social media, showing the student sitting on a staircase with her exam papers.
The girl, a member of the Arunthathiyar community (a Scheduled Caste), claimed in the video that her class teacher informed the principal about her menstruation, after which they decided she would not be allowed to sit inside the classroom. She stated that this wasn’t the first time it had happened, recalling she had also written her exam on April 7 in the same humiliating manner—on the staircase, away from her peers.
In the video, a woman—believed to be the student's mother—is heard expressing outrage, asking, “If someone gets their period, does that mean they cannot sit inside the classroom and write their exams? Should they sit on the road and write?”
The incident has sparked widespread outrage and prompted the Coimbatore rural police to launch an investigation. The District Education Officer (DEO) has issued a show-cause notice to the school. Coimbatore District Collector G Pavankumar assured, “Once the investigation is complete and a report is submitted, strict action will be taken as per the law.”
As of now, the school has not issued any official statement in response to the allegations.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. Across many rural and even urban areas of Tamil Nadu, the regressive practice of menstrual seclusion is still followed, stemming from outdated beliefs that treat menstruation as impure. Such discriminatory practices continue to affect the dignity, education, and mental well-being of young girls.
The girl, a member of the Arunthathiyar community (a Scheduled Caste), claimed in the video that her class teacher informed the principal about her menstruation, after which they decided she would not be allowed to sit inside the classroom. She stated that this wasn’t the first time it had happened, recalling she had also written her exam on April 7 in the same humiliating manner—on the staircase, away from her peers.
In the video, a woman—believed to be the student's mother—is heard expressing outrage, asking, “If someone gets their period, does that mean they cannot sit inside the classroom and write their exams? Should they sit on the road and write?”
The incident has sparked widespread outrage and prompted the Coimbatore rural police to launch an investigation. The District Education Officer (DEO) has issued a show-cause notice to the school. Coimbatore District Collector G Pavankumar assured, “Once the investigation is complete and a report is submitted, strict action will be taken as per the law.”
As of now, the school has not issued any official statement in response to the allegations.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. Across many rural and even urban areas of Tamil Nadu, the regressive practice of menstrual seclusion is still followed, stemming from outdated beliefs that treat menstruation as impure. Such discriminatory practices continue to affect the dignity, education, and mental well-being of young girls.
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