UGC directs Universities & Colleges to allow maternity leave, attendance relaxations to female students

Dec. 17: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has made a provision in the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of M.Phil./Ph.D. Degrees) Regulations, 2016 that: “the women candidate may be provided Maternity Leave/Child Care Leave once in the entire duration of M.Phil./Ph.D. for up to 240 days.”

In addition to above, all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) were asked to frame appropriate rules/ norms with regard to granting Maternity Leave to the women students enrolled in their respective institution/ affiliated Colleges and also provide all relaxations/ exemptions relating to attendance, extension in date for submitting examination forms or any other facility deemed necessary for women students pursuing Under Graduate and Post Graduate programmes.

The notification in this connection was issued by Prof. Rajnish Jain, Secretary, UGC on 14 December, 2021.