TN: Menstruating Dalit girl writes exam outside classroom, principal suspended

A private school in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, is facing intense backlash after a menstruating Class 8 student from the Arunthathiyar (Dalit) community was forced to write her exams outside her classroom.

The incident occurred at Swamy Chidbhavanda Matric Higher Secondary School in Senguttaipalayam. A video of the girl sitting on a staircase writing her exam, which was allegedly recorded by her mother, has gone viral and sparked widespread outrage.

The minister for school education has assured that there will be zero tolerance for any kind of oppression against children.

On April 10, in a post on X, minister for school education, Anbil Mahesh said that a departmental inquiry was conducted against the private school. "The school principal has been suspended. Oppression of children in any form cannot be tolerated. Dear student, do not sit alone! We are here. We will be here".

Shocking discrimination

Earlier, in the viral video, the girl explained that her class teacher informed the principal about her menstruating status, after which both decided she should not sit inside the classroom.

The girl also stated that this was not the first time it happened, adding that she had also written another exam on the staircase.

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The student, who had recently attained puberty, was reportedly subjected to this discriminatory treatment because she was menstruating, which is still considered as a stigma in parts of rural India.

After the girl informed her mother, the latter went to school and took a video of her daughter sitting outside the classroom.

Widespread condemnation

The footage went viral on social media, prompting widespread condemnation.

Activists and villagers claim the discrimination was also caste-driven, as the girl belongs to a Scheduled Caste.

Her mother’s emotional reaction in the video —“Should girls sit on the road to write exams during periods?”— has struck a chord with many across the country.

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After the incident, Coimbatore district collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar confirmed that the Coimbatore rural police has launched an inquiry.

The district education officer too served a show-cause notice to the school, and a report has been sought from the inspector of matriculation schools.

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Deeper issue

It is important to highlight that this is not an isolated case. In many rural and urban areas of Tamil Nadu, the practice of secluding girls during menstruation persists, rooted in the belief that menstruation is ‘impure’.

Dalit rights activists strongly denounced the incident, describing it as a blatant violation of the student’s dignity and a reflection of deep-rooted societal biases.

This incident has reignited discussions about menstrual taboos and caste-based discrimination in schools.

Despite decades of progress, such acts reflect the persistent need for awareness, policy enforcement, and educational reform to ensure every child is treated with dignity.