Delhi University has received only one admission application from a transgender candidate. In 2018 there were applications from transgender aspirants but none of them enrolled for regular courses. The varsity had introduced the “other” category in its admission forms in 2015 but there have been no admissions to the regular courses under the category.
According to experts, this dismal number is due to the lack of infrastructure including absence of gender neutral toilets in the varsity and the stigma attached to being identified as the third gender.
Rajesh from the Department of Adult Continuing Education and Extension said, “Around 15 transgender students had come to us with queries but they all had queries about School Of Open Learning and Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).
“They usually prefer to enrol as male or female in regular courses or for distance learning education. They face the problem of identity. After they are born, their families hand them over to ‘gurus’ who name them and start identifying them as a male or a female. They do not have the provision of changing their name yet as the Transgender Rights Bill is still pending,” said Rajesh.
“There is also a lack of infrastructure and facilities and the fear of stigma.
There is no gender neutral toilet in the varsity,” Rajesh added.