Kerala: Transgender students' scholarship not utilised

KOZHIKODE: The social justice department  is on a mission to create awareness among the parents and the public on the scholarship scheme launched for the transgender students.  During the last three years, 90 per cent of the project amount had   lapsed as the parents were not willing to reveal the sexuality of their children. On a yearly basis,  nearly Rs 3 crore is getting lapsed due to the non-utilisation of the amount. The scholarship instituted by the department was meant to empower the transgender community that suffers several societal stigmas.

District social justice department officer T.P. Saramma said, “It was in  2015  the scholarship programme was introduced as part of transgender policy. That year we received only one application.   In 2016,  only three  applicants from the district were  registered. The parents are reluctant to reveal the sexuality of their wards,” she added.

To apply for the scholarship, the students have to produce a medical certificate and the schools should identify them. The headmaster’s signature is also required which will indirectly reveal the identity of the student. A student would receive scholarship for 10 months in a year. Postgraduate, undergraduate and diploma students will receive Rs 2,000 per month, plus-one and plus-two students Rs 1,500, while 7th to 10th graders will get Rs 1,000, she pointed out. The department has deployed anganawadi teachers in the district to identify these students and create awareness among their parents to promote the scholarship scheme.