DU introduces 'transgender' category for PG admission

New Delhi, Aug 13: After the Supreme Court acknowledged the transgenders as the 'third gender' earlier this year, Delhi University has introduced an option of choosing the transgender category in the admission forms for the post graduate courses.

"DU has introduced an option of 'third gender' in the admission forms for the postgraduate programmes this year and the same will be introduced in varsity's centralised undergraduate admission forms as well from the next academic session," university's s media coordinator Malay Neerav said.

However, it is still not decided as to what will be the benefits available to them, since they will be admitted under a separate category. "UGC is yet to formulate a policy regarding what benefits or reservation will be available to them like to the OBCs, SC or STs. We will follow whatever is the policy decided by UGC," he added.

In July, UGC had issued a notice asking varsities to include transgenders in various scholarship and fellowship schemes. Earlier, the candidates were supposed to register under 'male' or 'female' category. "The varsity had plans to introduce the category in undergraduate admissions this year but it wasn't possible due to administrative reasons," Registrar Alka Sharma said.

The option has been introduced in the forms for recruitments as well, she added. According to the data available with the varsity, of the 90,000 applications received for admissions to the various post graduate courses offered by the varsity, nine candidates have opted for the category.

However, DU is not the first Indian university to be introducing space for third gender in application forms. Bangalore university had modified its application form to include the category in 2010.

PTI