[News] [India] Transgender takes DU, CBSE to court over name-change rule
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Stephanie Stevens
Aug 21, 2017, 7:35:51 AM8/21/17
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Times of India, India
Transgender takes DU, CBSE to court over name-change rule
Krittika Sharma | TNN | Updated: Aug 21, 2017, 01:12 AM IST
NEW DELHI: A 23-year-old transgender, Riya, realised she was in a loop when she decided to change her name on her school and college certificates, in correspondence with the identity she recognised herself with. Her certificates called her Rahul Sharma, but she felt more at ease with Riya. But it was not just a change of name, she was being asked to produce a medical certificate as proof of her identity.
In July this year, Riya filed a case against the department of publications, CBSE and DU, in relation with their policies on name change. According to the CBSE policy, her lawyer explained, a student has to change his/her name before the results are declared by the board. Delhi University, on the other hand, will only go by the CBSE records.
"We had earlier filed a petition last year, but with DU and the Government of India as the respondent. At that point of time, CBSE had rules which allowed a person to change the name 10 years after board certificates were issued. But this was changed, and we refiled the petition in July with DU and CBSE as respondents," explained Yashraj Singh Deora, Riya's lawyer.
During her undergraduate studies in School of Open Learning, Riya explained, she used to be hassled before every exam, being told by the examiners that she looks like a girl but has a boy's name. "I used to get late for all the exams because I was always being asked to get a certificate from the office of where I was to sit," she explained. Finally, after furnishing an application with the university officials, she was made to sit in an examination hall designated for persons with disability.
She wanted to get her name changed in all official documents. She managed to get it done in the Aadhaar Card and Voter ID card. This too was not easy. The Department of Publications asked her to produce an affidavit and a Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS) certificate to facilitate the name- change.
"This problem occurs when the gender of the name too changes," explained Deora. He said the department too was named in the petition because as per the Supreme Court's NALSA verdict, just self-identity should be enough to be recognised as a transgender.
She wanted her name changed in her educational certificates too. "I was told that without a change of name even MA will become difficult," she said. And so she went to DU. "They told me their records are as per CBSE documents, and cannot be changed until corresponding certificates say so. I went to CBSE, and they said I cannot change my name if I have already passed out of college," she said. So Riya decided to approach the court.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/transgender-takes-du-cbse-to-court-over-name-change-rule/articleshow/60149516.cms
Transgender takes DU, CBSE to court over name-change rule
Krittika Sharma | TNN | Updated: Aug 21, 2017, 01:12 AM IST
NEW DELHI: A 23-year-old transgender, Riya, realised she was in a loop when she decided to change her name on her school and college certificates, in correspondence with the identity she recognised herself with. Her certificates called her Rahul Sharma, but she felt more at ease with Riya. But it was not just a change of name, she was being asked to produce a medical certificate as proof of her identity.
In July this year, Riya filed a case against the department of publications, CBSE and DU, in relation with their policies on name change. According to the CBSE policy, her lawyer explained, a student has to change his/her name before the results are declared by the board. Delhi University, on the other hand, will only go by the CBSE records.
"We had earlier filed a petition last year, but with DU and the Government of India as the respondent. At that point of time, CBSE had rules which allowed a person to change the name 10 years after board certificates were issued. But this was changed, and we refiled the petition in July with DU and CBSE as respondents," explained Yashraj Singh Deora, Riya's lawyer.
During her undergraduate studies in School of Open Learning, Riya explained, she used to be hassled before every exam, being told by the examiners that she looks like a girl but has a boy's name. "I used to get late for all the exams because I was always being asked to get a certificate from the office of where I was to sit," she explained. Finally, after furnishing an application with the university officials, she was made to sit in an examination hall designated for persons with disability.
She wanted to get her name changed in all official documents. She managed to get it done in the Aadhaar Card and Voter ID card. This too was not easy. The Department of Publications asked her to produce an affidavit and a Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS) certificate to facilitate the name- change.
"This problem occurs when the gender of the name too changes," explained Deora. He said the department too was named in the petition because as per the Supreme Court's NALSA verdict, just self-identity should be enough to be recognised as a transgender.
She wanted her name changed in her educational certificates too. "I was told that without a change of name even MA will become difficult," she said. And so she went to DU. "They told me their records are as per CBSE documents, and cannot be changed until corresponding certificates say so. I went to CBSE, and they said I cannot change my name if I have already passed out of college," she said. So Riya decided to approach the court.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/transgender-takes-du-cbse-to-court-over-name-change-rule/articleshow/60149516.cms
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