Pune YCMOU’s course for transgenders hits roadblock

The proposed course on basic literacy for transgender community by Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU) seems to have hit a roadblock as the community itself feels ‘too debased’ for any redemption.

YCMOU vice chancellor, R Krishnakumar, told DNA that despite several meetings arranged through NGOs between varsity officials and third-sex community leaders, the course hasn’t started due to problems in understanding the aspirations of the target audience.

The course, said Krishnakumar, is a small step by the university in bringing the marginalised sections of society like transgenders and sex workers into mainstream.

“We wanted to do something for this community whose rights are trampled in every step of life. They are not given a chance to become a part of mainstream and we thought education can help alleviate their present condition,” said Krishnakumar.

However, several meetings with community representatives in the last three months were unproductive.

“Nothing conclusive evolved out of these meetings. This is because they don’t have the confidence that anything we do might help them. It is unfortunate, but we are determined to make this work and will continue to meet them. We are serious about the course for transgenders,” he added.

Another problem that the university is facing is to convince their own staffers to do voluntary work for the community.

“The staffers are not going to be paid or applauded for their efforts; this work is mainly for their own sense of duty towards society. Our staffers had apprehensions but we have managed some amount of success and that roadblock is crossed,” he said.

The courses were meant to teach the transgenders basic concepts of arithmetic, communication and alphabet. The short-term certificate courses would mainly be vocational in nature and focus on managerial skills, which will help students to set up small manufacturing units.