The enrolment of transgender students in schools, colleges, and universities across India has improved in many states over the last three academic years, according to data tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday in response to a question by MP Swati Maliwal.
As per the statement provided by the Ministry of Education, the number of transgender students enrolled in schools rose from 155 in 2021–22 to 965 in 2023–24, reflecting a six-fold increase. States such as Uttar Pradesh (327) and Bihar (282) recorded the highest numbers in 2023–24 in schools.
Read | Transgender students await inclusion of third gender category in forms; Maharashtra registers highest number of applicants
However, Rajasthan has seen a decline in numbers, with transgender student enrolment dropping from 107 in 2021–22 to 77 in 2023–24. A similar trend is observed in West Bengal, where the count fell from 211 in 2022–23 to 62 in 2023–24.
| State/UT | 2021–22 | 2022–23 | 2023–24 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 0 | 132 | 31 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Assam | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Bihar | 4 | 47 | 282 |
| Chandigarh | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Chhattisgarh | 3 | 6 | 13 |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Delhi | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Goa | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Gujarat | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Haryana | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Jharkhand | 2 | 11 | 27 |
| Karnataka | 0 | 2 | 39 |
| Kerala | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Ladakh | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lakshadweep | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Maharashtra | 3 | 32 | 12 |
| Manipur | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| Meghalaya | 0 | 26 | 23 |
| Mizoram | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Nagaland | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Odisha | 6 | 43 | 22 |
| Puducherry | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Punjab | 4 | 4 | 15 |
| Rajasthan | 107 | 88 | 77 |
| Sikkim | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tamil Nadu | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Telangana | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tripura | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 16 | 239 | 327 |
| Uttarakhand | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| West Bengal | 0 | 211 | 62 |
| All India | 155 | 880 | 965 |
In higher education, the enrolment of transgender students also showed a substantial rise. As per the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), the number of transgender students in universities and colleges increased from 302 in 2020–21 to 1,448 in 2022–23 (provisional data).
Among the states, Uttar Pradesh again led with 369 students, followed by Maharashtra (158), Madhya Pradesh (124), and Telangana (104) in 2022–23. Other states with notable enrolment figures included Tamil Nadu (98), Rajasthan (101), and Karnataka (73).
While some states/ regions like Delhi, West Bengal, and Kerala showed consistent numbers, others like Nagaland, Ladakh, and Lakshadweep reported negligible or no transgender enrolment across years.
Story continues below this ad
| State/UT | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 (Provisional) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | 28 | 45 | 69 |
| Assam | 4 | 18 | 15 |
| Bihar | 2 | 8 | |
| Chandigarh | 4 | 4 | |
| Chhattisgarh | 3 | 2 | 9 |
| Delhi | 6 | 28 | 15 |
| Goa | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Gujarat | 7 | 23 | 62 |
| Haryana | 3 | 10 | 11 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 2 | 8 | 19 |
| Jammu and Kashmir | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Jharkhand | 13 | 19 | 16 |
| Karnataka | 20 | 69 | 73 |
| Kerala | 32 | 55 | 54 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 9 | 76 | 124 |
| Maharashtra | 16 | 118 | 158 |
| Manipur | 5 | 2 | 14 |
| Meghalaya | 1 | 11 | |
| Nagaland | 2 | ||
| Odisha | 4 | 24 | 55 |
| Puducherry | 1 | 7 | 3 |
| Punjab | 6 | 36 | 21 |
| Rajasthan | 26 | 34 | 101 |
| Tamil Nadu | 35 | 56 | 98 |
| Telangana | 15 | 24 | 104 |
| Tripura | 3 | 1 | |
| Uttar Pradesh | 30 | 172 | 369 |
| Uttarakhand | 5 | 8 | 10 |
| West Bengal | 25 | 31 | 17 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 1 | ||
| Total | 302 | 877 | 1448 |
The data underscores the need for sustained policy interventions, institutional support, and awareness initiatives to ensure that transgender students are not only enrolled but also retained within the educational system.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
