Beyond Boundaries: Philosophical Insights into the Educational Struggles of India’s Third Gender
Lal Khan
Assistant Professor, Basirhat College
khanlal9647@gmail.com
Submitted on: 15.11.2025
Accepted on: 25.12.2025
Abstract: The educational experiences of India’s third gender (hijras, trans, and non-binary populations) are neglected within traditional educational frameworks, highlighting entrenched societal biases, legal obstacles, and epistemic exclusion. This essay presents a philosophical examination of these challenges, incorporating viewpoints from social justice theory, feminist philosophy, critical pedagogy, and Indian ethical philosophy. This study analyses how systemic impediments, institutional discrimination, and cultural biases restrict educational chances for the third gender, utilizing Amartya Sen’s capacities approach, Judith Butler’s performativity theory, and Indian concepts of dharma and human dignity. The paper advocates for a redefinition of educational environments by emphasizing their relational, ethical, and normative aspects, promoting inclusivity, liberation, and the affirmation of varied identities. The research enhances educational philosophy by contextualizing the challenges faced by India’s third gender within wider discussions of fairness, acknowledgment, and human flourishing.
Key Words: Transgender, Gender, Rights, Third Gender, Justice.