The Ministry of Education has confirmed a major rise in transgender enrolments. While Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have led in school-level figures, UP also topped higher education. Experts say more inclusion efforts are needed to sustain and support these gains.
India has seen a notable increase in the enrolment of transgender students in both school and higher education, according to data shared by the Ministry of Education in the Rajya Sabha.
The data was presented in response to a question by MP Swati Maliwal.
As per the figures, the number of transgender students enroled in schools rose from just 155 in the 2021-22 academic year to 965 in 2023-24. This marks a more than six-fold increase in two years.
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Uttar Pradesh and Bihar recorded the highest school enrolments in 2023-24, with 327 and 282 students respectively.
SOME STATES SHOW DECLINE DESPITE OVERALL GROWTH
Despite the nationwide upward trend, some states witnessed a fall in numbers.
Rajasthan saw a decline from 107 students in 2021-22 to 77 in 2023-24, while West Bengal recorded a steep drop from 211 to 62 between 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Table: State-wise transgender students in schools
State/UT 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24
Uttar Pradesh 16 239 327
Bihar 4 47 282
Rajasthan 107 88 77
Karnataka 0 2 39
Maharashtra 3 32 12
West Bengal 0 211 62
Odisha 6 43 22
Jharkhand 2 11 27
Meghalaya 0 26 23
Andhra Pradesh 0 132 31
All India Total 155 880 965
INSTITUTIONAL ENROLMENT INCREASES
A similar increase was seen in colleges and universities. As per the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), the number of transgender students enroled in higher education increased from 302 in 2020-21 to 1,448 in 2022-23 (provisional).
Uttar Pradesh topped this list as well, with 369 students in 2022-23, followed by Maharashtra (158), Madhya Pradesh (124), Telangana (104), and Tamil Nadu (98).
Table: State-wise transgender students in colleges and universities
State/UT 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 (P)
Uttar Pradesh 30 172 369
Maharashtra 16 118 158
Madhya Pradesh 9 76 124
Telangana 15 24 104
Tamil Nadu 35 56 98
Rajasthan 26 34 101
Karnataka 20 69 73
Kerala 32 55 54
Gujarat 7 23 62
Total 302 877 1,448
NEED FOR CONTINUED POLICY SUPPORT
While the rise in enrolment is encouraging, officials and education experts emphasise that sustained efforts are needed to ensure retention and support for transgender students.
Many states still report negligible or zero enrolment, including Ladakh, Nagaland, and Lakshadweep.
The ministry acknowledged the need for inclusive educational frameworks and has called for institutional and policy interventions to bridge regional disparities and ensure that transgender learners can access and thrive in the system.
Courtesy : India Today
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