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Jorhat College hails SC verdict on Section 377

By Staff correspondent

JORHAT, Sept 13 - Jorhat College (Amalgamated), which was the first institute of higher education in Assam and perhaps in the North East as well, to officially open its doors to transgenders in 2015, has hailed the Supreme Court judgement that decriminalised Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code on September 6.

The admission forms of the college, since 2015, have a mention of transgender in addition to male and female genders in the gender declaration column.

College Principal Dr Devabrata Sharma told The Assam Tribune that apart from imparting education, the college has always taken the lead in matters of social equality and empowerment of women and youths, with an aim to bring about positive change in the mindset of the society.

�Our college hails the SC verdict... we organised a meeting recently to celebrate the landmark judgement,� he said.

Dr Sharma said that apart from him, Assistant Professor Bidyut Bora of the Political Science department spoke on the topic during the meeting.

�It was none of government business to interfere in personal matters and choices of citizens and punish a section of the society for possessing and practising a different kind of sexual orientation,� the Principal said.

Sharma said that the women�s cell, the gender sensitivity cell and the college students� union too welcomed the apex court judgement.

It may be mentioned here that in 2015, the college had also introduced at least 33 per cent representation for women in about 25 of its internal committees and the NOTA (none of the above) option in the students� union elections.

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