Panjab University Provides Hostel Room To Transgender Student After 9 Months

A transgender student in Chandigarh's famous Panjab University has finally found a room in the faculty house after nine months of protests. Previously, the University had stated that they had no such guidelines to allocate separate rooms for transgender students and had said that the matter was under active consideration. The student would be charged with the regular hostel expenses even though the room is in the faculty house. The student, Yashika, hails from Saharanpur and has secured admission in a Master's in Human Rights and Duties programme at full fee concession in October 2021.

Demanding A Hostel Room Since Last Year

She had been put in the Rajiv Gandhi College Bhawan guesthouse for the duration when the matter was under discussion by the university officials. Hindustan Times quoted her saying, "I have been demanding a hostel room since October last year. Even though my classes have resumed physical, I don't have permanent lodging despite being on the merit list". Last year, she had raised the concern with the Chandigarh administration. The university officials had informed the director, social welfare, women and child development, UT, that they had proposed the constitution of a committee on this matter.

Held Protests Outside The VC's Office

After she was exhausted from sending official letters and emails to the concerned authorities, she had started a protest outside the Vice- Chairperson's office on March 15, along with a few student bodies. However, after the University released on Monday that it would provide a room to her, she said that even though she was happy that her demands had been heard, she was upset because they had used her last name to address her. Moreover, she added that a lot was still required to be done to raise the issue of gender sensitivity.

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