In a deeply concerning incident from Coimbatore, the principal of a private matriculation school has been suspended after a Class 8 girl was forced to write her final examination while sitting on the steps outside her classroom. The student, who had just begun her first menstrual cycle, was reportedly denied a proper seating arrangement by the school despite prior requests made by her family. The shocking visuals of her taking the exam on the floor in full public view quickly spread on social media, triggering outrage and calls for accountability.
The girl, belonging to the Scheduled Caste community, had expressed her wish to attend school and complete her annual exams despite having attained puberty just a week prior. According to her father, the family had specifically asked the school management in Senguttaipalayam, near Pollachi, to make a minimal arrangement—a separate table and chair—so she could write comfortably. However, the administration failed to accommodate her request, forcing her to sit on the cold stone steps for over two hours, which left her with leg pain and emotional distress.
Reacting swiftly to the viral incident, School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi ordered a departmental inquiry, which resulted in the immediate suspension of the school’s principal. In a message shared on social media, the minister condemned the discriminatory act and extended his solidarity to the student, affirming that any form of child oppression is unacceptable. The case has sparked a wider debate about the treatment of menstruating students in educational institutions, especially those from marginalized communities, and highlighted the urgent need for sensitivity, awareness, and inclusive infrastructure in schools.
