After deciding to reserve one seat for transgenders in each of the 52 postgraduate disciplines of Bangalore University from this academic year, Vice-Chancellor N. Prabhu Dev said a system will be put in place to protect them from harassment.
“Students found harassing any transgender student will face action under laws related to anti-ragging and other legal provisions. Facilities such as restrooms and toilets will be provided, depending on the number of transgenders seeking admission,” he said at the University Academic Council meeting here on Monday.
Asked whether the transgenders will come forward to seek admission, Dr. Prabhu Dev said they had indeed studied or were studying in undergraduate courses, declaring themselves as either “male” or female”. “Now that the University has recognised their sexual status, they can seek admission under the new category,” he said. The university's initiative can be a model for others in the State. Many organisations working for the welfare of transgenders had hailed the initiative.
Attitudinal change
Earlier, placing the proposal before the council, B.L. Muralidhara, Coordinator, Centralised PG Admissions 2010, said, “There has been a change of attitude towards transgenders in Tamil Nadu where they were allowed to pursue higher education.”
Legal action
Meanwhile, the council authorised the vice-chancellor to take legal action against the heads and members of 12 Local Inquiry Committees for recommending enhancement of seats in some colleges, though there were no requests from those institutions.
“This is arbitrary action on the part of heads and members of the committees. We cannot allow such irregularities,” he said and added that he was in favour of cutting an increment and banning them for appointment to such committees in future.
BS programme
The council granted approval for three institutions — Maharani Lakshmi Ammanni College, Malleswaram; KLE Society's S. Nijalingappa College, Rajajinagar; and National College, Basavanagudi, for starting the new four-year integrated BS (Bachelor of Science) course from the academic year 2010-11 with an intake of 20 seats each. This is a new course designed by the university.