Kottayam: Kerala’s first hostel exclusively meant for transgender students was inaugurated on the Mahatma Gandhi University campus in Kottayam on Monday.

State Social Justice Minister R Bindhu opened the facility, which has been a long-standing demand of students from the marginalised community. The hostel can currently house six students, university sources said.

Officials hope the initiative will encourage more members of the transgender community to pursue higher education. Bindhu noted that the number of transgender students clearing the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in the state has been steadily increasing. “The community faces many odds in life. We must ensure social support for them,” she said.

She also pointed out that even families often reject transgender persons, underlining the responsibility of society in offering support. It is expected to ease the challenges of finding accommodation and meeting high rents.