Kathmandu (Pahichan) March 12 – Transgender woman and social activist, Rukshana Kapali who joined Bachelor in Arts first year (Sociology and Linguistics) in Tri-Chandra Multiple Campus was denied of registration by  Tribhuwa University saying that there are no such provisions.  TU, the first university of Nepal established in order to provide education to people do not have provision to admit transgender students.

“I came out during my Grade 9. Due to my bully school principal, I could not come out that time. But after SLC when I came out and faced all the challenges, I decided to apply for citizenship based on my identity. According to the legal provision, I could change my birth name and use my gender identity,” She said.

She joined her +2 with this and also had a paper from her Ward Office that states Krozan Kapali and Rukshana Kapali are two names of the same person because she is a transgender person. With this paper, she used the name of her citizenship in +2 documents and everything went smooth.

With an ambition to be a linguist, she joined Tri-Chandra Multiple Campus in BA. She filled all the forms and everything was smooth. Two days ago, when she got notified that she has to fill form for TU registration, she did it.

According to their requirements, one has to attach all certificates of SLC and +2. When she showed her papers, because her name in SLC papers and +2 was different, she was questioned. Despite explaining everything and showing the paper from Ward office, she was asked to visit Office of Exam Controller, TU in Balkhu.

Following instruction, she visited OEC TU today morning with a hope something could happen. The reception directed her to room number 24, where she explained her issue. She was further directed to the controller’s office in the next building.

“When I entered the room, people were behaving as if they already knew what my issue was. I think the person from room number 24, already called the controller”, Rukshana said.

The controller officer Pushp Raj Joshi unapologetically explained why the system and provision of TU cannot explain these kinds of applications. He said that officially Rukshana isn’t the student of TU and it isn’t their case.

Rukshana was directed to change her name in any of the certificate and make it same. “When I gave SLC, I hadn’t come out yet, I used my birth name. Only after I got my citizenship, I could go further with my preferred name. How can they expect the same name of a trans person. This is high gender insensitivity and exclusion of trans people by policies”, she said.

Rukshana called lawyer Sujan Pant and explained the scenario, where Rukshana was told, changing name in SLC is nearly not possible. With this lack of provision for transgender people, she could not register. Pushpa Raj, deliberately escaped from a written statement of why they cannot register Rukshana.

She asked a written document stating why, but she was not provided. Instead Joshi tried to escape the situation saying it isn’t TU issue and she needs to change it in SLC.