The Union home ministry has sought the opinion of various branches of paramilitary forces—Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP), and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)—over recruiting of transgender people to the rank of assistant commandants.
According to media reports, the MHA has asked the authorities concerned to examine the issue of incorporating 'transgender' as third gender along with male/female in the rules of CAPF (Assistant Commandant) Examination 2020.
Union Home Ministry has asked CRPF, ITBP, SSB & CISF to examine the issue of incorporating 'transgender' as Third gender along with Male/Female in the rules of CAPF(AC') Examination 2020; asks the forces to furnish comments to take final view on the matter. pic.twitter.com/QMU1ctaat9
— ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2020
Currently, there is no provision for recruiting transgenders to the ranks of paramilitary forces.
The exam for recruiting assistant commandants are scheduled to be held in December. If the response from the various branches of paramilitary forces is positive, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will include transgender as the third gender in the application forms for the examination.
"The comments for incorporating the issues on transgenders as third gender along with male/female in the rules of CAPF (Central Armed Police Force) examination is yet to be received. Kindly examine the issue and furnish comments," News18 quoted an internal note from the ministry as saying.
The MHA move comes in the wake of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019 being passed in Parliament last year. It seeks to provide a mechanism for social, economic and educational empowerment of transgender people.
