KSOU to provide free education to transgender students

With an aim to promote higher education in the transgender community, the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), Mysuru, has decided to offer all courses free with “zero fee” for transgender students. 

With an aim to promote higher education in the transgender community, the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), Mysuru, has decided to offer all courses free with “zero fee” for transgender students. 

KSOU is now writing to all NGOs and other organisations working with the transgender community to create awareness about this facility. They want to take up a campaign to get more transgender students enrolled in both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. 

The transgender community is one of the most marginalised and stigmatised in society. Most members of the community drop out of high school or at the pre-university level. “Due to stigma, lack of resources and other reasons, the number of transgender students going to colleges is very less. We have heard a lot of incidents where such students have been harassed by their classmates in schools and colleges. Hence, there is a need to identify and encourage students from transgender communities to pursue higher education. Last year, only two transgender students were enrolled in our university. Free education will be given to these students who enrol in graduation and post graduation courses,” said Sharanappa V. Halase, Vice Chancellor, KSOU.

Prof. Sharanappa further said that KSOU was uniquely suited for transgender students, as given their experience, they avoid going to regular colleges and end up dropping out of education altogether. “At KSOU, they need not come for regular classes and our degrees make them eligible for all jobs in the State,” he said.  

However, this is not the first such initiative. To mainstream the community, the State government has provided reservation to transgenders in both education and employment. However, only a handful of them have used it till date. For instance, many years after being given 1% reservation, not one transgender student has utilised it and enrolled in Bangalore University. 

Welcoming KSOU’s move and terming it “laudable”, transgender activist Akkai Padmashali stressed upon the need for both an awareness and a motivational campaign to ensure more transgender students enrol in higher education. She said her organisation Ondede would motivate members of the community to enrol for higher education and use the facility. 

KSOU has also been providing free education to visually impaired students (except B.Ed and MBA courses) and to children who have lost both their parents to COVID-19.