Rajasthan University admits its first transgender student

JAIPUR: The administration of University of Rajasthan has given its go-ahead to admitting a trans woman, Noor Shekhawat, in the BA course at University Maharani College “as a special case”.Vice-chancellor Alpana Kateja said that Shekhawat is the first transgender person that the university has given admission to.

“The central admission committee and the academic council had already approved the admission of Noor Shekhawat to Maharani College as a special case. This is the first time that a transgender has been given admission in the university,” said Kateja.

The vice-chancellor further said that the university will now plan on making a policy for admission to transgender students.

“In future if more such students want to take admission, the university will have to make a proper policy with guidelines for admission process in different colleges of the university,” said the vice-chancellor.

Shekhawat said her admission process had been finalized and she would be submitting the course fee on Friday.

Last week, officials of Maharani College had said that they had written to higher authorities seeking guidelines to complete the admission process for Shekhawat. After this on Tuesday, the university registrar issued an order stating that permission was being given for admission of Shekhawat.

As per the minutes of the meeting of the academic council meeting held on September 2, signed by ex-VC Rajeev Jain and registrar Kalu Ram, an agenda item was tabled, for which the minutes read, “To consider the admission case of Noor Shekhawat in Trans Women case as a special case at the University Maharani College in BA Course, and resolved that Noor Shekhawat be admitted in BA Course at the college as a special case at over and above sanctioned seats and on minimum passing marks.”

In July, Shekhawat had become the first transgender in Rajasthan to get her birth certificate from the municipal corporation.

Courtesy : TOI

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