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Bhubaneswar: Loisingha MLA Mukesh Mahaling has written to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urging the latter for granting maternity leave/ childcare leave to women students pursuing undergraduate/ post-graduate or Ph.D. courses to stop dropout cases.
“When married women students get pregnant while pursuing their higher studies, they face difficulties to maintain their required attendance and become ineligible to appear for the examination as the state government has not framed any rule for granting maternity leave/ childcare leave for the women students. Consequently, these women students are forced to discontinue their higher studies and women student dropout cases are increasing day by day,” the MLA mentioned in the letter.
“Although, Secretary, University Grant Commission has issued direction to all Vice-Chancellors of Universities of Odisha since last two years, unfortunately no action has been taken by Vice-Chancellors of Odisha to frame appropriate rules/ norms with regard to granting maternity leave/ childcare leave to the women students enrolled in their respective institution affiliated college to provide all relaxation/ exemption relating to attendance, extension in date for submitting examination form or any other facility deemed necessary for women students pursuing undergraduate/ post-graduate programme,” the legislator said in the letter.
Further, colleges/ universities should take appropriate steps to provide virtual teaching to women students remaining on maternity leave, he suggested.
“In view of above facts, I suggest the Govt. of Odisha to frame rules for granting maternity leave/ childcare leave as per direction of University Grant Commission along with making provision for teaching in virtual mode to women students during maternity leave,” the MLA concluded.
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