Tamil Nadu: Dalit student made to sit outside exam hall during menstruation

A young student from the Dalit community was allegedly made to sit outside the examination hall solely because she was menstruating. The incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday, April 9, in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore district at a private school in Senguttaipalayam.

A video of the Dalit girl, who is a student of Class VIII, is being shared on social media platforms where the child is seen sitting outside the examination hall. The video has sparked public outcry, forcing the educational department officials to initiate an enquiry.

A young student from the Dalit community was allegedly made to sit outside the examination hall solely because she was menstruating. The incident reportedly occurred on April 9 in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore district at a private school in Senguttaipalayam.

A video of the Dalit… pic.twitter.com/Oi6ByQBDAp

— The Siasat Daily (@TheSiasatDaily) April 10, 2025

The director of Matriculation Schools, Palanisamy, told the media that a show-cause notice has been sent to the private school.

On Thursday, April 10, Coimbatore’s chief educational officer R Balamurali and district educational officer for private schools, Punitha Anthonyammal, visited the school and questioned the authorities about the incident.

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Meanwhile, speaking to The New Indian Express (TNIE), the Dalit girl’s father expressed shock over the school authorities’ behaviour towards his daughter. He said his child had attained her puberty a week ago, and they had informed her teachers regarding it. “Initially she did not attend the school. But since there were exams, she had to go. We requested her class teachers for a separate desk and bench in the exam hall for her comfort, as she might feel discomfort during menstruation,” the father said.

He alleged that his child was made to sit outside the class. “On Monday, my daughter had to attend her Social Science exam. We found her seated outside a different classroom during her exam. We asked the school authority if there was a problem,” he said.

The incident has sparked widespread outrage and raised serious questions about menstrual discrimination and caste-based bias in educational institutions.

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