Transgender And Education: Scope, Challenges Ahead In Pandemic Times

Abstract

The term 'transgender people' is generally used to describe those who transgress social gender norms. The Transgender often face discrimination and are deprived of rights and privileges which heterosexual person enjoys. The legal system of a country should be such that it provides equal opportunity to all person “irrespective of their religion, belief, political opinion, race, sex, nationality, heterosexual or homosexual orientation or civil status. The Transgender face a variety of issues like social stigma exclusion, lack of education, poor health conditions, and unemployment issue. Lack of education leaves them extremely vulnerable denying them employment and a social status in the society. Right to education is a basic right of every citizen in a country .Education is an important tool for the growth and development of a nation. Education and empowerment are the two sides of the same coin and it is only through education empowerment is possible. Majority of this community is either not educated or less educated due to which they are not able to participate fully in social, cultural, political and economic activities. In order to include the Transgender to the main stream society empowering them is very essential. Despite of the Right to Education Act and the Supreme Court’s order for inclusion of Transgender in education, reservation quota as OBCs, the issues like access to education and retention in educational institution is still very challenging.

There is an urgent need to address the community’s concern in education sector. It is essential to ensure equal opportunities at all level without stigma and discrimination. Schools and colleges should play a supportive role on the fulfillment of the constitutional mandate of providing education to all the citizen including the transgender community. The Government needs to review the existing education and training schemes such as Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) as they are not inclusive and have not addressed the concern of the community