The University of Madras from this year on will reserve one seat in every department for transsexuals. The transgender community has for years been demanding reservations in education and jobs. The reserved seats would be over and above the allotted strength in each department, the University said.

Not just for transsexuals, the University will also be reserving a seat for differently abled people, sportspersons, wards of ex-servicemen and Tamil students of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This seat too will be over and above the sanctioned strengthen. The decision was taken at the University’s academic council meeting. Officials from University told Times of India said the syndicate had previously given its approval for the reservations and getting the academic council’s nod was a routine procedure.

Some of the other decisions that were taken during the the academic council was to institute new diploma courses including in management, marketing management, logistics and supply chain and others in order to increase job opportunities for students. The current students would also be abel to pursue these courses in distance or online mode. The university also plans to offer certificate courses in carnatic music, voice training, management and written Tamil.