Kolhapur: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked universities and colleges across the country to include transgender as third gender in their scheme of “gender champions”.

The UGC had last year instructed the institites to appoint gender champions among students to foster equal treatment for both the genders on the campus. The aim was to achieve gender equality in the educational institutions. There was, however, no specific instruction about the third gender.

Now, a letter from UGC secretary Jaspal Sandhu on April 5 has directed all the universities and colleges to involve the third gender in the scheme that promotes active participation of students.

The communication this time came through the women and child development ministry.

Medha Nanivadekar, the director of the Centre for Women’s Studies at the Shivaji University, Kolhapur said this was a welcome move by the UGC and will encourage third gender to participate in the academic activities.

“Last year’s UGC instrction for the gender champions scheme did not mention third gender and it was, in a way, was exclusive. But with the option of third gender, it is now inclusive,” she told TOI.

Nanivadekar said there were no specific statistics available with the SUK about the number of third gender students and it would be interesting to see how many actually exercise the option.

University officials have forwarded the letter to the principals of all affiliated colleges to ensure that the instructions were followed.

 An SUK official said Sandhu’s letter on August 3, 2015 had stated that the UGC expected gender champions to strengthen the potential of young girls and boys to advocate gender equality and monitor progress towards gender justice and create a society that is gender sensitive and values girls and their rights. “It has now been amended with to include the third gender,” the official said.
 The commission had asked colleges and universities to nominate a student as gender champion on the campus. The elected students were to be in charge of identifying gender bias, if any, in classrooms, observe the reasons for gender inequality and suggest measures to promote gender equality.
“The inclusion of transgender into the mainstream academics is a bold move by the UGC. I personally support it. We need to know the actual meaning of gender equality that also involves transgenders,” said Abhishek Sant, an under-graduate student.
“Though the UGC’s initiative is a good move, its implementation at college- or the university-level willl be a challenging task,” said Uttam Patil, who is also graduating from SUK.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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