March 27, 2022

NALSAR University of Law Gets Gender-Neutral Space for Students Who Identify as LGBTQI+

S Showing its commitment to inclusivity, NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad has announced that a floor in one of its hostels will be a gender-neutral space for students who self-identify as LGBTQI+. NALSAR University’s initiative has received a tonne of positive responses from students and the LGBTQI+ community.

The university has become one of the shining examples of inclusivity, something that is still rare in India. NALSAR University of Law has joned the very short list of educational institutions in India that have tried to create inclusive, safe public spaces for gender and sexual minorities. Most notable names are the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (with a gender-neutral space in its girls’ hostel) and Ashoka University (gender-neutral washrooms).

…at NALSAR University, interaction with the student community led to the draft Policy on Inclusive Education for Gender and Sexual Minorities…

By creating a campus safe and welcoming for all students, NALSAR University has shown that they walk the talk. This kind of change is needed in educational institutions because many students who identify as LGBTQI+, more often than not, find themselves in a challenging spot, often coming in the way of educational growth and opportunities. At NALSAR University, interaction with the student community led to the draft Policy on Inclusive Education for Gender and Sexual Minorities.

The interim policy currently in place to address concerns of LGBTQI+ students at the university also states that name and pronoun changes shall be available to anyone. Following the NALSA v Union of India judgment of the Supreme Court in 2014, which recognised transgender people as the “third gender”, the University Grants Commission had issued a circular in 2015 to the vice-chancellors of all universities that says “TG-friendly infrastructure like washrooms, restrooms etc” be built in all universities. “Inclusivity” is also one of the goals mentioned in the National Education Policy 2020.

Posted in News and tagged News, NALSAR University of Law, India, National Education Policy 2020, LGBTQI+
Bookmark the Permalink