In a first, three transgender persons selected as government school teachers

Karnataka has scripted history by selecting three transgenders as teachers in government schools.

The Department of School Education and Literacy on Friday released a provisional selection list of 13,363 candidates, who will be recruited as government school teachers.

Suresh Babu, Ravi Kumar Y R and Ashwathama have become the first transgenders to make it as teachers in the state-run schools. Babu will teach English, while Kumar and Ashwathama are for Social Sciences.

Of the 15,000 posts for which the recruitment process was held, the government had reserved 1% (150 posts) for the transgenders. However, only 10 transgenders wrote the recruitment exam, and of which, the three cleared.

“It was my passion to become a teacher since childhood,” Babu, who wanted to be identified as Pavithra, told DH. “I had no godfather or guide. I struggled on my own to reach this stage,” said Pavithra, the 44-year-old, who has BA and BEd degrees, along with a diploma in Computer Science.

“I attended many interviews in private schools. I got rejected because I’m a transgender,” she said, thanking the government for “helping me fulfill my dream.” She fondly remembered her elementary school teacher Komala. “She was my role model,” she said. Pavithra said she is looking forward to the government school classrooms. “I don’t think it will be difficult for me to win over children. I have experience in private tutorials, where I taught children from my neighbourhood,” she said.

While the department wanted to fill up 15,000 posts, 13,363 candidates have been selected. The provisional list is open for objections that can be submitted before November 23.

The 13,363 teachers will be deputed at ‘C’ category places, which are basically villages, to teach grades 6-8.

Releasing the provisional list, School Education and Literacy Minister B C Nagesh said that the government will take measures to fill up the remaining vacancies in the next round of recruitment.

Also, 19 engineering graduates have been selected. This was the first time the department allowed engineering graduates to appear for the Common Entrance Test for the selection of teachers. A total of 1.16 lakh candidates had applied for recruitment. The exam, held in May, was written by 68,849 candidates, of whom 51,098 became eligible.