Transgenders in Nursing
The Kerala government has announced its decision to grant reservations to transgender students pursuing nursing courses in the state. With this, one seat each would be reserved for the Transgender members for the BSc nursing and general nursing courses from 2023 onwards. The state government has been taking great initiatives for the upliftment of the marginalized community and reservation in the nursing sector is part of such efforts. The reservation is envisaged to ensure the representation of the community members in the Nursing sector.”This government has been making major strides towards the empowerment of the transgender community. This step is a continuation of that process to ensure the involvement of the community in the state’s health sector”, Health Minister Veena George wrote on Facebook. “The cabinet has approved the reservation quota for transgender students in nursing courses. It will soon be added to the college prospectus and implemented in the current academic year itself. One of the seats in BSc nursing will be added at the Govermentt College of Nursing, Thiruvananthapuram and the other in general nursing course likely at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Centre for Science and Technology,” Jayaprakash, senior superintendent (academic) of the Directorate of Medical Education.
Daya Gayathri, a transwoman and theatre-film artiste, opined it as extremely happy news.“I am very glad to hear about the state government’s decision. This will go a long way in realizing the dreams of people from the community who want to enrol as a nurse. We are a part of the minority, and if we need to keep up with others, reservation is crucial as it ensures equity. The quota should be extended to other professional courses like MBA and medical,” said Daya, who was among the first students to be enrolled as part of the trans person reservation quota at the Maharaja’s College in Ernakulam in 2018. The landmark order then of the state government, keeping aside two additional seats in all universities and affiliated arts and science colleges for trans persons, was a result of efforts by Daya and a few of her friends. Sruthy Sithara, another trans artist and winner of the Miss Trans Global beauty pageant in 2021, said the decision was affirmative, but late. “It’s certainly a very positive development. But it has come quite late, in fact, five years after reservation was applied for arts and science degree courses. Professional courses like nursing are important as they help transpersons secure jobs after their education,” she said. It is to be noted that the reservation has been announced only in the education sector and not in the employment sector. The Supreme Court, in its 2014 judgment in the National Legal Services Authority of India (NALSA) v Union of India case, had said that trans persons in India have the right to reservation. The court had also asked the Union and state governments to treat trans persons as a “socially and educationally backward class,” besides directing the governments to extend “all kinds of reservation in cases of admission in educational institutions and for public appointments.” Nine years have passed since the order, but it is yet to be implemented in India.
A Step Forward from the 2015 Transgender Policy
It is worth noting that Kerala was the first state to introduce a transgender policy in the country in 2015. However, a large section of transgender persons are facing discrimination in the state. Thus, this reservation can be seen as a significant step forward from the 2015 policy and a move towards a more inclusive and diverse society.
The Road Ahead
The decision to grant reservations to transgender students in nursing courses is not just a landmark move in promoting diversity and inclusivity, but it also paves the way for other states and countries to follow suit. It signifies that when it comes to empowering marginalized communities, every step counts and it is these small yet significant strides that eventually lead to a more inclusive and equal society