CBSE NEET 2017: Five transgenders clear NEET

Five transgenders have qualified the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to medical and dental colleges in India.

New Delhi: Of the eight transgenders who took the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) this year, five have made the cut. NEET is an all-India examination for admission to medical and dental colleges.

Out of eight transgenders who gave the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for admission to medical and dental colleges, five have made the cut (Istock)

The results of the exam conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) were declared on Friday, June 24.

A senior CBSE official said eight transgenders had applied for NEET and five of them cleared it.

As many as 11,38,890 students had appeared for NEET, out of which 6,11,539 passed the medical entrance examination which was held on May 7.

Of these, 2,66,221 were male aspirants and 3,45,313 were females.

Last year, nine candidates from the transgender category had appeared for the exam and three of them had cleared it.

In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court had in 2014 created the “third gender” status for transgenders.

CBSE, which conducts the examination, announced the results on Friday morning, ending weeks of suspense that saw the Madras high court withholding the outcome before the Supreme Court cleared it.