Hyderabad: The University of Hyderabad (UoH) Teachers’ Association has decided to take up students’ demands at the university’s September Academic Council meeting following a five-day hunger strike by a group of students.

The issues to be taken up include menstrual leave for students, along with a 15 percent attendance relaxation for differently-abled students and those with chronic illnesses.

According to the All India Students Association (AISA), UoH, the council will also discuss the introduction of discipline-specific remedial classes from the second week of September, starting with the Schools of Social Sciences and Humanities and subsequently extending to the Centre for Integrated Studies.

AISA said the remedial classes aim to address language barriers in higher education and ensure that students do not struggle academically or drop out because of their language background.

The development comes a week after three AISA students began a hunger strike on August 20, seeking menstrual leave, a Rs 3,000 University of Hyderabad Student Assistance (UoHSA) fellowship for every eligible student without the existing cap of 1,200 recipients, an end to the fellowship backlog, and the removal of the 75 percent attendance requirement for UoHSA beneficiaries.

Speaking to Siasat.com, AISA UoH Vice President Siddhant said students are currently demanding menstrual leave only for students and are confident that the demand will be granted after the Vice Chancellor assured them that it would be taken up at the Academic Council meeting.

“We are currently demanding menstrual leave only for students and are confident that it will be granted since the Vice Chancellor assured us to take it up during the Academic Council meeting. If our demands remain unmet, we will continue the hunger strike,” he said.