Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed Calcutta University to state by Friday whether it was ready to admit transgender candidates seeking admission to MPhil courses as part of the quota for other backward classes.
Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharya’s directive was based on a 2014 Supreme Court ruling that transgender candidates should also get the privileges that other weaker sections of the society enjoy.
Alia Sheikh of South 24-Parganas had moved court last week after she failed to fill in the application form for admission to the university’s MPhil course in clinical psychology as there was no option for transgender candidates. Alia’s advocate Indrajeet Dey had told the court that the admission form only had options for male and female candidates.
The Supreme Court had recently ruled that admission forms must have three columns — one each for male, female and transgender.
Justice Bhattacharya had directed the university to follow the apex court’s ruling.
The university counsel told the court on Wednesday that fresh application forms had been printed.
The judge asked Alia to fill in the fresh form. Alia’s counsel claimed that the Supreme Court had ruled that transgender candidates should enjoy the same privileges as other weaker sections of the society. “Since Calcutta University has a quota for OBC candidates in MPhil, my client should also get that benefit,” the lawyer said.
