NEW DELHI: In keeping up with times, the central government is is contemplating allowing transgenders to take the annual UPSC exam for recruitment as officers in these forces deployed for internal security duties across the country.
On Wednesday, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs asked four paramilitary forces — CRPF, ITBP, CISF and SSB — to give their views on the matter by Thursday. The fifth paramilitary force, the BSF, gave its nod to the proposal in June, ministry officials said.
“The BSF has given an affirmative to the proposal. The force believes in providing equal opportunities to all,” said a senior BSF officer.
The Union Home Ministry officials said that it was back in December 2019 when the first move towards this end was made, when the central government notified the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, which was meant to provide a level playing field in all avenues and services including combat policing.
The Ministry is specifically contemplating opening up the Assistant Commandants (ACs) rank to the transgender community, which is an officer rank post, officials said.
If all the paramilitary forces have responded in the affirmative and the union Home Ministry finishes the modality in time, the UPSC is likely to, for the first time, provide a third gender option in its advertisements for recruitment of ACs.
Four other para forces get a week to respond
While the MHA asked CRPF, ITBP, CISF and SSB to give their views by Thursday, BSF gave its nod to the proposal in June.
“The BSF has given an affirmative response to the proposal. The force believes in providing equal opportunities to all,” said a BSF officer.