For the first time in Kerala, a hostel exclusively for transgender students has been opened at Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) in Kottayam.
The facility, inaugurated on Monday by State Social Justice Minister R Bindhu, can accommodate up to six students. University officials said the hostel is expected to make higher education more accessible to students from the transgender community, claiming they often face challenges in securing accommodation.
Minister Bindhu, while inaugurating the building, noted the increase in the number of transgender students clearing competitive exams such as the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF). “The community faces multiple hurdles, and support systems like these are necessary,” she said. She also pointed out that social acceptance plays a crucial role in the lives of transgender individuals.
