College forces 7-month pregnant woman to dance
NATIONAL | March 27, 2018:
A private college offering B Ed course in Chhattisgarh is under the scanner for making women students sign an undertaking, stating that they would not conceive during their two-year academic programme.
The bizarre order was highlighted by a woman student of the Sant Harkewal B Ed College, Pratibha Minj, 24, who delivered a baby girl on February 3.
Pratibha was three-month pregnant at the time of her admission in August, 2017, and had signed an affidavit that she would not opt for pregnancy during the course. Pratibha, a resident of Ambikapur, has alleged that college authorities have threatened that she would not be allowed to appear for her examination, scheduled in April because she violated the rule. She also said that her teachers humiliated her and made her perform a dance in front of her class in December when she was seven-month pregnant for a practical exam, despite her repeated requests to exempt her from the performance.
"I requested the teachers to excuse me from dancing as I was seven-month pregnant, but they forced me threatening that else they would deduct my marks. I danced and they laughed, while I and my classmates were left embarrassed," said Pratibha, who is fighting for her right to write the exam.
Pratibha said she continued her classed regularly before the delivery and took leaves only after she delivered. As per the rules, students are supposed to have mandatory 80% attendance to appear for exams and Pratibha already has attendance of 94% in her records.
