SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday directed all administrative departments to include “transgender” as a separate category of gender for recruitment to various government jobs.
A circular issued by the government instructed the departments to modify the relevant examination and service rules for the inclusion of a separate category of ‘third gender or any other category” in the application forms for recruitment to various posts in the UT of J&K.
With this directive, the departments will now have to amend rules for keeping the option of ‘transgender’ in the application forms for government jobs along with male and female.
The move is aimed to ensure that the relevant rules are in conformity with the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights), Act of 2019, the General Administration Department said, in an order.
In 2020, the Department of Personnel & Training, Government of India, issued a similar directive to the Central government departments.
On February 5, 2020, the DOPT also notified civil services examination rules- 2020 for the inclusion of transgender as a separate category of gender for the said exam.
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act of 2019, prohibits the discrimination, denial, or unfair treatment of members of the Transgender community in educational establishments, employment, health institutions, and public services. (KNO)
