THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As many as 18 transgender people have become eligible for higher studies after successfully completing the Class XII equivalency programme offered by the State Literacy Mission.
The transgender people were part of the ‘Samanwaya’ project that imparts equivalency programmes free-of-cost from Classes IV to XII, with a monthly scholarship.
While Class X equivalency students are provided monthly scholarship of `1,000, the higher secondary students receive `1,250 every month. Since the Class XII equivalency programme has been made on a par with the regular higher secondary course, all the successful candidates can enrol for higher studies.
A total of 22 candidates had appeared for the examination of which 18 emerged successful. Pathanamthitta had the highest number of successful candidates at eight, followed by Thiruvananthapuram (five), Kollam (two) and one each from Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kannur. In Pathanamthitta district, the State Literacy Mission had provided free food and accommodation facilities for those who had enrolled for the equivalency programme.
Ever since the Samanwaya project was launched in 2018, as many as 39 transgenders have become eligible for higher studies. While 30 transgender people are currently enrolled for Class X equivalency programme, there were 62 enrolments for the Class XII equivalency programme. The number of enrolments for Class VII and Class IV equivalency programmes are one and seven respectively.