Students of Mumbai’s College get lesson in gender issues, rights
Matunga’s Ramnarain Ruia College has included a module on gender, identity, and issues of rights as part of its Foundation Course (FC) curriculum with a view to sensitise students about the issues
Matunga’s Ramnarain Ruia College has included a module on gender, identity, and issues of rights as part of its Foundation Course (FC) curriculum with a view to sensitise students about the issues.
The college, which was granted autonomy in July 2017, has revised its FC curriculum to introduce new topics which are contemporary and would educate students about the changing social norms.
As part of these revisions, the first chapter of the new syllabus which is titled ‘Overview of the Indian Society’ has a module on understanding diversity in Indian society, with gender identity being a key component.
“The module is revised to suit the needs of the changing times,” said Dr Pradeep Waghmare, member of the FC subject board.
“As our society takes a step further towards inclusion of all gender identities, issues concerning them need to be a part of the syllabus.”
Dr Chandrakant Puri, director, Centre for Distance Education, SNDT Women’s University which had recently introduced academic programmes for transgender students said it was a welcome step.
“If we look at the current situation of those with other gender identities, they have to face trouble at every point in their life. Especially with transgender people, problems are manifold due to poor financial backing,” said Puri.
“Thus, acceptance and inclusion of these people is a big step which needs to be fostered at the college level.”
Students too are glad the module was included in the course and believe it is required for the younger generation to be more understanding and accepting of people of other gender identities.
“It is a good thing to see a module on inclusion in the college syllabus. While studying marginalisation, we are mostly taught about caste and religion, but gender and marginalisation of identities are nowhere in the mainstream curriculum,” said a second-year BA student from the college.
Disha Pinky Sheikh, a transgender activist, said that such small steps help in early sensitisation of students to the issues of the transgender community. “Even before they are exposed to the society, children get their primary understanding about issues from schools and colleges. If colleges become more inclusive, it’s a sign that our society is slowly maturing,” said Sheikh.
“Transgenders and those with other gender identities are sidelined from all sides. Them finding room in academic spaces is a good sign,” she said.