India’s top court has taken a decisive stand on period equity, ruling that free sanitary pads must be provided to all girl students in classes 6-12 across government and private schools. Delivered Friday in a PIL hearing, the order aims to safeguard education from menstrual challenges.
The bench asserted this as a core right to a hygienic, private learning space. Mandates include distinct toilets per gender with full seclusion and disability-friendly designs.
Inside toilets, eco-friendly pads will be dispensed gratis via vending units or staff, promoting ease and dignity. Every school must feature a specialized ‘Menstrual Hygiene Corner’ stocked with essentials and educational aids.
A strict three-month reporting window is set for states and UTs on rollout status. The central government must roll out a pan-India policy for uniformity.
Madhya Pradesh’s Jaya Thakur’s petition exposed how product scarcity derails girls’ futures. States were directed to disclose their schemes for national alignment.
This forward-thinking judgment could slash absenteeism and boost retention, particularly in rural areas. It reinforces India’s strides toward gender-sensitive policies.