The Government College University (GCU) Lahore has allocated special seats to transgender persons for admissions to its undergraduate programmes to increase access of this underprivileged community to the higher education.

GCU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Asghar Zaidi said that universities were a catalyst for change and the GCU need to bring about a change in the society where transgender persons were accepted.

He stressed that special seats were also needed in schools and other higher education institutions for this underprivileged community.

The vice-chancellor clarified that the transgender persons were also welcome to compete for admissions on open merit but those who had less marks in examinations could secure admission against these special seats.

Prof Zaidi said the GCU already had special seats for other underprivileged communities, including the disabled, minorities and students from Balochistan, but this was the first time special seats for transgender persons were created.–INP