Home Ministry seeks view of paramilitary forces on recruiting transgenders

A letter undersigned by S. Muthu Kumar, Under Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs has revealed that the Union Home Ministry is actively looking to recruit members of the transgender community in the country's elite paramilitary forces in the rank of the Assistant Commandants (ACs). The Supreme Court in 2014 had recognized the transgender community as a third gender and ruled that they have equal rights privilege over the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.

New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry is actively looking to recruit members of the transgender community in the country's elite paramilitary forces in the rank of the Assistant Commandants (ACs).

The letter dated 1 June, reviewed by ETV Bharat, is undersigned by S Muthu Kumar, Under Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, with the subject line- "Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination, 2020 - Comments on the draft Rules regarding", asked the CRPF, ITBP, SSB, CISF and Assam Rifles authorities to send their comments on urgent basis for incorporating the issues on transgenders as 'third gender' along with male/female so that a final view on the matter could be taken.

The government sources said that the views of these concerned forces are being compiled by their respective personnel directorates in consultation with medical branches.

The process for Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination, 2020 is being planned to be conducted by the Staff Service Commission (SSC), said a source.

However, the recruitment for Gazetted Officers to join these forces at the rank of ACs, is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Notably, in 2014, the Supreme Court recognized the transgender community as a third gender along with male and female and ruled that they have equal rights privilege over the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.

As per the Home Ministry data, 7,859 ACs are currently employed with CAPFs. There are 3,054 ACs in CRPF, 1888 in BSF, 716 in ITBP while there are 725 ACs in CISF and 542 in SSB.