Bringing out a change in the field of university education, the Calcutta University has introduced a third gender option in the application form from next academic year. A revolutionary change, this is going to open new horizons for those who were until then denied basic education and other opportunities.
The Calcutta University has taken the decision after the University Grants Commission directed the universities to include transgenders in scholarship and fellowship programmes. As per the Supreme Court’s judgement, transgenders will be included as third gender under the scholarship and fellowship programmes of the University of Grants Commission.
Calcutta University vice chancellor Sonali Chakraborthy Banerjee has said that there should not be any discrimination in higher education opportunities based on one’s sex. He also said that the decision to include third gender would open the realms of a new environment in higher education.
Until now, the university had only two boxes – one for male and another for female – in the application form. But now a third box – third gender has also been added.
The Calcutta University’s decision to include the third gender in the application form is going to change the perspective and also help others to follow.
