Help where needed: JNU to grant extra-points to transgender applicants

After introducing the transgender option in the gender column of its admission forms, Jawharlal Nehru University is now considering granting five extra points to the applicants identifying themselves under the category.

The varsity has formed a committee to formulate a policy detailing the modalities of transgender admissions.

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The panel has come up with its recommendations which will be placed before the Academic Council for its approval. JNU's admission policy already has a provision for 5 "deprivation points" for females, Kashmiri migrants and applicants from the Defence category.

"We have proposed that five extra points be awarded to the students seeking admission under the category. If the proposal is passed, they will also be under the deprivation pointers category" a committee member said.

After the Supreme Court judgment that declared transgender to be the third gender in 2104, the University Grants Commission (UGC) made it mandatory for all the colleges and universities to include third gender category as an option on the admission forms.

Going a step ahead, JNU had also introduced the option in the nomination forms for its students' union elections.

-PTI