KSRTC To Grant One Day Paid Menstrual Leave Every Month From 2026

Women staff at KSRTC to get paid menstrual leave from January 2026. Image used for representative purpose only.

Bengaluru: In a significant step towards operationalising the State’s progressive menstrual health framework, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has released an official circular providing one day of paid menstrual leave every month to its women employees, beginning January 1, 2026.

The directive, issued by Akram Pasha, Managing Director of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, states that the benefit will be available to women staff members between the ages of 18 and 52 years. The provision will be uniformly applicable across all KSRTC divisions, depots and administrative units, ensuring standard implementation throughout the organisation.

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As per the circular, women employees can avail themselves of menstrual leave without furnishing any medical proof or certificate. However, the order specifies certain conditions: the leave cannot be combined with any other category of leave during the same month and must be utilised only within that particular month. Unused menstrual leave will lapse and cannot be accumulated or carried forward.

The KSRTC order follows the Karnataka government’s recent approval of the Karnataka Menstrual Leave Policy-2025, a move widely described as unprecedented at the national level. With this policy, Karnataka has become the first State in India to officially sanction one day of paid menstrual leave per month for women employees across both public and private sectors.

Under the policy framework, women employees are eligible for a maximum of 12 days of paid menstrual leave annually. The entitlement covers a wide spectrum of workplaces, including government departments, educational institutions, factories and private establishments, marking a comprehensive approach to workplace wellbeing and gender-sensitive labour practices.

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Further strengthening the initiative, the State has also prepared the Karnataka Women Wellbeing Leave Bill, 2025 — the first proposed legislation of its kind in the country. The Bill seeks to extend menstrual leave benefits beyond the formal workforce, covering female students in educational institutions, transgender persons, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), anganwadi workers, midday meal staff and women employed in the mining sector.

To ensure compliance and prevent misuse or discrimination, the proposed law includes punitive measures. Employers or authorities found denying menstrual leave, harassing, or discriminating against menstruating individuals may face penalties of up to ₹5,000 for each violation.

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