PATNA: The Bihar government has decided to recruit transgenders to the state police force. They will be appointed as constables and sub-inspectors in the police force.
As per a notification issued by the general administration department, the third genders have been included in the list of backward classes schedule (2) and appointed under the reserved category.
As a policy decision, one transgender will be appointed for every 500 posts of sub-inspector and constable. They will get benefit from the recruitment drive initiated by the government to match the police-public relationship at the national level.
If the posts of sub-inspectors and constables advertised by the government are taken into account, transgenders can be appointed in 41 constables' posts and 10 posts of sub-inspector in the state.
According to the 2011 census, the state has nearly 40,827 transgenders. According to the census, Bihar ranked fourth after Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra in the third gender population.
The decision on the recruitment of members of the third gender in the police force was taken at a meeting chaired by chief secretary Amir Subhani on Saturday.
The meeting was attended by officials of the general administration department and the police headquarters. The officials pointed out that the posts reserved for transgenders will be filled
with the eligible candidates belonging to backward classes if they were not found in sufficient number. Sources in the home department said that the transgenders may be appointed at police
stations and the government-run aftercare home for women as constables. The shelter homes in the state had earlier received flak for security lapses and sexual abuse.
The members of third gender community welcomed the move of the state government. Reshma Prasad, a senior functionary of Dostana Safar, a non-profit organisation working for transgenders, said, “It will instill a sense of confidence among transgenders.”
She further said the transgenders who largely relied on transition professions of begging alms and collecting donations, will be economically reliant.