According to the last recorded census of 2011, India is home to about 4.9 lakh people belonging to the third gender. Socio-cultural exclusion of the third gender is a reality that we all are well aware of. From not being given job opportunities to not being allowed to receive education with other kids, the third gender has faced a lot more than we can imagine over the past decade. But, we finally have some good news here. In a landmark step, Calcutta University has now included the third gender option in the admission forms for the next academic session.
Path-breakingly inclusive indeed, the Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University, Sonali Chakraborty Banerjee said that the admission forms for post-graduate and under-graduate courses in the university will now have the option of third gender along with the option of male and female kids. The decision to include the new option was taken after notice issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC), which stressed on the inclusion in various scholarships and fellowships.
The notice said, “As per the judgement of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, Transgender will be included as a third gender under the various scholarships/fellowship schemes of UGC.”
Calcutta University Official Website
And Calcutta University was quick to respond. The university officials feel that there should not be any discrimination on the basis of gender or someone’s sex as far as providing education facilities is considered in the state. Before this change–while filling up the admission form, the candidates applying to study at Calcutta University had to tick in a box to denote the applicant’s sex that only had male and female as options. From now on, there’s going to be a third option too!
Featured Image: Shutterstock and caluniv.ac.in
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