For the academic year 2017-18, the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE), has included the transgender category on the admission forms.
For the first time, the transgender option will be available on the application forms of engineering and pharmacy courses for the Maharashtra State Common Entrance test which is scheduled to be held in coming future.
Director DTE, Dayanand Meshram said, "We thought we should have a separate third gender category as there might be transgender people who want to study engineering or pharmacy."
Appreciating the move, Harish Iyer, an equal right activist said, "It is a welcome step but it should not be the only step. We hope it is the first among a series of steps for the betterment of transgender people."
"Having a third gender category ensures improved access to higher education. But what happens when a transgender student attends college? For instance, will there be a transgender toilet at institutes?," said Iyer.
Recently, India's first transgender principal, Dr. Manabi Bandyopadhyay resigned due to social stigma and non-cooperation from the college teachers.
Tags: Transgender Equality Rights
Transgender Equal Rights India
