BJP MLA writes to Odisha CM, seeks provision of maternity leave for college, university students

BJP MLA Mukesh Mahaling on Tuesday wrote to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, urging him for a provision of maternity leave for students of colleges and universities in Odisha.

In the letter, Mahaling said such a leave would help check the dropout of female students.

''It is seen that girls of the state of Odisha on attaining permissible marriage age are proactively enrolling themselves in colleges and universities for higher study, in undergraduate/ post-graduate/ PhD courses,'' he said.

It is observed that these married women get pregnant while pursuing their higher studies and they face difficulties in maintaining the required attendance, becoming ineligible to appear in the examinations, he said.

Because of this, women are forced to discontinue studies and such dropout cases are increasing day by day, he added. Even though a direction has been issued by the University Grant Commission (UGC) in this regard, no action has been taken to frame appropriate rules regarding maternity leave or childcare leave for women students, Mahaling said.

He said that besides making a provision for such a leave, the state government must also consider online classes for women during that period.