Madras University moots one free seat in each college for transgenders in UG course

Madras University is planning to provide one free seat to transgenders in each college affiliated with it for Under Graduate course.

This is to promote education of transgenders. This will come into effect from academic year 2022-23.

The university is already providing two free seats in each college affiliated to it for poor students who are socially and economically backward.

S. Gowri, Vice-chancellor of Madras University while speaking to IANS said: "We are planning to allot at least one seat in each college affiliated under the University for free to people from transgender community. This is for promoting the education of transgender people."

She said that the university is planning to get the approval of the syndicate for the proposal during its next sitting.

During the 2021-22 academic year, the university had allocated a supernumerary seat in college for postgraduate programme to transgenders but no one joined.

The university has enrolled 340 students from 131 families with poor economic backgrounds during the 2021-22 academic year. The Vice-Chancellor also said that the university will waive the fee for transgenders who will be joining the undergraduate course during this academic year.

Kalki Subramaniam, transgender activist, writer, poet, and painter who had stood for transgender rights while speaking to IANS said: "This is a welcome move of Madras University. I am happy that awareness is growing among people regarding transgender people and our situation. I have always been a votary for higher education to transgender people and the Madras University has taken a step in the right direction."