In yet another landmark decision aimed at empowering the transgender community in Kerala, the State government has sanctioned two seats exclusively for transpersons in all courses run by universities and affiliated arts and science colleges.
The State Higher Education Department issued orders on Tuesday sanctioning two additional seats in all courses based on a recommendation from the Social Justice Department. “Due to societal issues, these students often have to discontinue their studies or join academic institutions after an academic year or after the admission process is closed,” the government order pointed out.
The Social Justice Department got into the act when the State Transgender Justice Board drew its attention to the plight of transgender students in securing admission in universities and colleges and their tough survival in such institutions once their gender identity becomes public knowledge.
The Transgender Justice Board, which has representatives of different transpersons groups as its members like Sheetal Shyam, Sonu, and Surya, took up the matter with the Social Justice Department after three transgender students approached it with the complaint that they were finding it difficult to gain admission on merit at Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam.
The State had announced a Transgender Policy in 2015, the first State in the country to do so, and followed it up with a slew of measures aimed at giving greater visibility and power to the transgender community.
In February this year, the State Social Justice Department had constituted a Transgender Cell to provide assistance and support the functioning of State Transgender Justice Board and District Transgender Justice Committees besides formulating and coordinating the transgender welfare. The Social Justice Department has initiated a scheme for providing scholarship to Transgender students from Class 7 onwards studying in State government/ government-aided/self-financing schools.
The department is already providing financial assistance to transgender students at the rate of ₹1,000 a month for 10 months for students from Classes 7 to 10, ₹1,500 to TG students studying in Plus One and Plus Two and ₹2,000 a month for 10 months to TG students pursuing diploma, degree, PG and processional courses.
