Hyderabad: The University of Hyderabad (UoH) is the first and so far the only one to have included a third gender in their application forms.
Over eight applications from transgenders were received by UoH this year.
Rachana Mudraboyina, a transgender, said, “The fact that eight students applied shows that even the third gender is stepping out of their inhibitions. More colleges and universities should be open about transgenders in their spaces. There are very few instances of members from our community going in for further studies as they fear discrimination. We had filed a few RTIs to gather data about why application forms are yet to carry the third gender checkbox.”
Dr Vinod Pavarala, official spokesperson for UoH, said, “The university has a committee that tries to make the campus, gender-friendly. “
“By including the third gender in our application form, we just wanted to make it clear that transgenders are welcome into the university. Although many didn't pass the entrance, we hope the applications continue to grow and they see our educational space as a good destination,” he adds.
Afreen Zeb, a transgender, said, “Many transgenders are scared after the experiences they have had during their schooling. This is a major factor for them not applying in universities and colleges. They should be encouraged more.”
The third gender is yet to be included in application forms of other universities and colleges.
