The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked vice-chancellors of all universities to frame appropriate rules and norms for granting maternity leave and attendance-related relaxations to women students enrolled in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The UGC has made a provision in the UGC(Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of MPhil and PhD) Regulations, 2016, stating that "the women candidate may be provided maternity leave or childcare leave once in the entire duration of MPhil and PhD for up to 240 days." “In addition to the above, all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are requested 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,” the official notification reads.
