CAT 2015: Transgenders are Recognised

Updated on: Friday, October 30, 2015

cat After the landmark judgement of Supreme Court in April last year to recognise transgenders as the 'third gender', Indian Institute of Ahmedabad IIM taking a step forward has issued a 'gender neutral' admit card for Common Admission Test 2015. The website of the CAT also notifies student about the same.The decision has been taken considering the several applications received from the transgender candidates who have registered themselves to appear for the test this year CAT 2015. The CAT 2015 which is scheduled to take place on November 29 has received over 2.18 lakh applications marking a six-year high.

"Yes, we have released admit cards for transgenders applicants as gender neutral and the notification about the same has been put on our website. We have received 80 applications for CAT 2015 from transgenders for the first time in the history." an IIM-Ahmedabad official told India Today. CAT 2015 Applicants can download their admit card from the official website which has been released with a delay ten days. The CAT 2015 examination which is held for selecting candidates for business administration programmes will also undergo some other major changes as well. IIM Ahmedabad which is conducting this year's test has changed few of the selection criteria including exam duration and paper pattern.

This inclusive initiative for transgenders in the education sector is not the first of its kind, though earlier, NALSAR Law University in Hyderabad had issued a gender-neutral graduation certificate to a student. The decision to issue the gender-neutral graduation certificate was taken by the varsity on the request of the student. The student had asked the varsity to issue the certificate with honorific Mx instead of Mr or Ms.

In April 2014, the Supreme Court of India in a move to provide equal social and economic opportunities to transgenders acknowledged them as the 'third gender'. After the decision, many universities like Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia and Banglore Univeristy had introduced the transgender category for filling up the forms. The court had also directed the center and states to extend reservation to transgenders in educational institutions and public appointments.

CAT 2015: Transgenders are Recognised

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