Supreme Court Pushes Strict Compliance On Menstrual Hygiene Facilities In Schools, Seeks Quarterly Status Reports
Supreme Court directed strict compliance with its menstrual hygiene orders in schools and warned states over lapses in implementation of sanitary napkin and toilet facilities
Supreme Court directed strict compliance with its order on providing free sanitary napkins and functional gender-segregated toilets in schools across India
The Supreme Court on Monday said that girls should not be forced to discontinue education merely due to the absence of sanitary napkins and functional, gender-segregated toilets in schools, directing the Centre to ensure strict and effective compliance with its earlier directions.
The Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan made the observation while hearing compliance on its January 30 judgment mandating menstrual hygiene measures in schools across the country.
The Centre informed the Court that the directions issued in the earlier ruling had triggered action across states and Union Territories. It also placed on record a summary of compliance data collected over the past two to two-and-a-half months.
Emphasising the need for sustained implementation, the Bench said the Union government must continue to guide states and ensure that the directions are followed “in letter and spirit.”
“Girls should not give up education and sit at home and do domestic work only for this reason,” the Court observed, adding that the government must ensure that the benefits of the judgment reach students effectively.
The Court directed the Centre to periodically collect data from all states and submit progress reports every three months, stating that it would continue monitoring compliance on a quarterly basis. It also asked states to furnish updated status reports to the Centre by August 15, warning that no lapse would be tolerated.
The Ministry of Education has been designated as the nodal ministry responsible for compiling and filing compliance reports.
During the hearing, a concern was also raised regarding the use of the term “oxo-biodegradable” sanitary napkins in the Court’s earlier judgment, with an advocate suggesting it may raise environmental issues. The Bench directed that the concern be placed before the law officer for appropriate consideration.
The matter will now be taken up for further compliance reporting on September 1.
In its earlier verdict, the Supreme Court had recognised menstrual health as part of the right to life under Article 21, holding that lack of menstrual hygiene facilities undermines a girl child’s ability to access education and participate equally in society.
Notably, on December 10, 2025, the Bench had reserved its judgment on the implementation of the Union Government’s national Menstrual Hygiene Policy for School-going Girls, which aims to ensure access to menstrual hygiene facilities and products for adolescent girls studying in Classes 6 to 12 in government and government-aided schools across India. The Bench had reserved the matter after hearing submissions from the Union Government on the proposed implementation framework and monitoring mechanisms.
The case arises from a public interest litigation seeking uniform access to menstrual hygiene facilities, including free sanitary napkins and proper sanitation infrastructure in schools nationwide.
The litigation traces its origin to earlier directions issued by the Supreme Court in 2022 and 2023. In November 2022, the court had issued notice to the Union Government, States and Union Territories on a plea seeking free sanitary napkins and adequate sanitation infrastructure for school-going girls. Subsequently, in April 2023, the court directed the Union to formulate a uniform national policy addressing menstrual hygiene for school students.
The Union Government had previously informed the Court that multiple ministries, including the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Jal Shakti and Ministry of Education, are collectively responsible for implementing various aspects of menstrual hygiene infrastructure and awareness programmes.
Case Title: Dr. Jaya Thakur v. Government of India & Ors.
Bench: Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan
Hearing Date: May 25, 2026