CAPF okays transgender persons’ hiring

In what can be seen as a major move towards the inclusion of the transgender community into the mainstream after the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act was notified earlier this year, officials of the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) on Friday told the Union home ministry that they will recruit transgender persons to the officer cadre post of assistant commandants.

“The CRPF already has a gender-neutral work environment. In view of impending policy guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), we shall make it further compatible as per the need,” director general A P Maheshwari said.

Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP) chief S S Deswal, who also holds additional charge as director general BSF, said, “We have no objection,” speaking for the latter paramilitary force.

The ITBP and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Centre are expected to respond t in the next few days, officials familiar with the matter said.

The home ministry on Wednesday sought the views of central paramilitary forces (CAPF) to add transgender as the third gender category in relevant application forms ahead of the annual examination for recruiting assistant commandants to be held in December. The comments of all the central paramilitary forces would be shared with the Union Public Service Commission which conducts the exams, officials aware of the matter said.

The home ministry’s letter, first sent out on in June and again on July 1, followed a circular issued by the Department of Personnel Training in April, which directed all central government departments to include transgender as a separate category for recruitment for all posts, including civil services.

There is currently no provision to hire transgender persons in the central paramilitary forces. Vidya Rajput, a member of the Chhattisgarh Transgender Welfare Board said that while the move was welcome, additional seats for transpersons must be created across all government posts. “A socially supportive structure is very important.”

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