Include third gender children in schools – HRD Ministry

The Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has advised all States and Union Territories (UTs), barring Jammu and Kashmir, to take appropriate action for the inclusion of “third gender’’ children among socially and educationally backward classes for admission in educational institutions under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) to universalise elementary education.

This is in keeping with the Supreme Court order of April 15, 2014, to treat and grant legal recognition to the “third gender”. The Court had directed the Centre and States to take steps to treat transgenders as socially and educationally backward classes and extend reservation for admission in educational institutions and for public appointments.