Guwahati: A 32-year-old transwoman from Manipur’s capital city Imphal, Dr Beoncy Laishram, gained prominence after she became the first medical doctor among the transgender community in the entire northeastern region in 2018.
Despite her significant achievement, Dr Beoncy is facing challenges as her request for reissued educational certificates reflecting her current name and gender identity as a female has been denied by the relevant authorities.
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A resident of Imphal West district’s Kakwa locality, Dr Beoncy has filed a writ petition with the Manipur High Court.
The case was taken up by Justice Ahanthem Bimol Singh on June 13 this year, who issued notices to the respondents to provide their replies, with the next hearing scheduled for July 17.
As per Dr Beoncy’s petition, she was biologically born male and named Boboi Laishram, which was reflected in her 10th and 12th standard, MBBS, and other educational certificates.
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Thereafter, she underwent a gender reassignment surgery on October 8, 2019 and legally changed her name to Beoncy Laishram and her gender to female on her Aadhaar card.
She also obtained a transgender identity card from the District Magistrate (DM) of Imphal West on February 16, 2022 and a voter ID card on March 4, 2023 reflecting her new status.
While her identity is recognised as a female in all the government and legal records, Dr Beoncy’s educational certificates still display her former name Boboi Laishram and her gender as male.
In February this year, though Dr Beoncy requested new certificates from the Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BSEM), Council of Higher Secondary Education Manipur (COHSEM) and the Manipur University (MU), her requests were turned down.
Dr Beoncy has filed the petition in the court to direct the relevant authorities to issue new certificates reflecting her current name and gender citing inconsistency in her educational certificates which has been causing significant hardship in pursuing further education and employment.
She has also urged that the Directors of the Department of University and Higher Education and the School Education Department issue a circular affirming the rights of transgender individuals to change their name and gender on educational certificates, in line with the Supreme Court directives, without requiring them to resort to legal action.
According to transgender activist and Secretary of the All Manipur Nupi Manbi Association (AMANA), Santa Khurai, Dr Beoncy has approached the court after consulting with the association.