Five-fold jump in transgenders’ registration

New Delhi: Even though a week is left for the closure of registration process for undergraduate course applications, Delhi University has witnessed almost five-time rise in the applications from the transgender community as compared to last year.

So far, the varsity has received about 62 applications under the “Other” category, while last year the total registrations were only 15.

The varsity expects more students to apply by June 12, the last date of the registration process.   

“Even though there is no special policy for the transgender community in the varsity, the rise in the number of applications indicate that they are themselves making an effort to empower themselves through education. They are no more shying away from asserting their identity. It is just that the varsity needs to take some initiative for them,” a DU professor said.

Following the landmark judment by the Supreme Court in 2014 to recognise transgenders as third gender, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had notified universities and colleges to introduce ‘third gender’ as a category in its admission forms.

The UGC had also given instructions to build transgender-friendly infrastructure, especially in washrooms and restrooms in all colleges while suggesting them to introduce chapters from research papers on the transgender community in the curriculum at all levels of study. But in reality, the varsity has failed to make any special arrangements and neither the Equal Opportunity Cell addresses any of their issues.

According to OSD admissions DU, transgenders are not considered under the OBC category, neither any deprivation point is provided to them since DU treats every candidate equally.

“Although there is no special policy for transgender students at the varsity level, but there is no discrimination and we treat all students equally by providing them all kind of facilities like the general category students,” a university official said.