Jamshedpur college to open doors to transgender students

Jamshedpur: The Jamshedpur Women's College will start an interaction campaign to draw transgender candidates for aplying to the college.
"We have decided to deploy NSS (national service scheme) and NCC (national cadet corps) cadets for interaction with the transgenders to ensure third gender admission in the cradle," said college principal Shukla Mohanty.
She informed that the college has prepared a separate online admission form in tune with the Union Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines for the potential transgender students.
"We shall launch the awareness campaign for the admission of the transgenders in June," said the principal. She added that NSS and NCC cadet group will be guided by a team of dedicated faculties who shall meet the transgenders at their homes.
"Our aim is to reach out to them and help change their mindset and make them aware about the benefits of education," said Mohanty. She added that the college administration is keen to take the cooperation of NGOs and social organizations willing for this purpose.
"All stakeholders in the society who wish well for the transgender community should come forward in the promotion of education amongst the deprived community," Mohanty said.
The college has announced the awareness programme in the wake of the recent directive of the UGC to Kolhan University and all its affiliated colleges to take steps for the promotion of college education in the transgender community.
A 28-year-old Pursudih transgender, who is a betel shop owner, said that elementary education should be first given to the young transgenders.
"Most of the transgender community members are school dropouts. The agencies calling for the promotion of education among transgender community should first ensure basic school education before college and higher education," said the betel shop owner.
The transgender added that a large section of the community lives in dingy and unhygienic place and that should be an equal concern for the society along with their education. Many transgenders live in the Steel city and in Chaibasa.