Chennai's Loyola College offered free admissions to transpeople Diya and Mirthulla. Both Diya and Mirthulla will be pursuing their undergraduate degrees in the institution. Diya, 23, will pursue her Bachelor's in French, while Mrithulla will pursue a course in Animation.
Both Mirthulla and Diya’s past has been coloured with rejections. They belong to the tiny trans community of Tamil Nadu that is often subjected to violence.
According to Indiatimes, Diya passed her class 12 in 2013 but was not able to study further as she was not being offered any opportunities to study further.
By opening the doors to the community, the college has scripted history and turned the wheels for a better future for them.
“The two students have been given admission on the basis of their merit. Both are on par with other students and they deserve to study in our college.”Justin Prabhu, an official of Loyola College to Indiatimes
The college will provide scholarship to both the students to help them realise their dreams.
According to The Diplomat,the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment asked for public input towards making a Rights of Transgender Persons Bill more inclusive; it had borrowed concepts from the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill 2013.
A revised version of the bill, which was passed in the Lower House, was the reason behind the large protest on Parliament Street on December 28, 2018, which was geared toward urging the Upper House of Parliament to refer it to a select committee for amendment before it could be passed and made into a law.
Although the All India Mahila Congress denounced the Transgender Bill by calling it ‘regressive and devoid of compassion’, reports The New Indian Express.
“The Bill is silent on reservation for transpersons in educational institutions and government jobs. This has been a cause of concern aside from criminalisation of begging.”Apsara Reddy, national general secretary to The New Indian Express.
Let’s hope that the inclusive efforts made by Loyola college sets the road map for a more inclusive education system in India.
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