Paramilitary Forces to Consider Hiring Transgenders

India’s paramilitary forces could be headed for a landmark moment in their history. The Union Home Ministry (MHA) has written to the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), seeking its views on recruitment of transgender persons as officers. In its letter, the MHA has asked CAPF to respond to the matter of including transgender as the third gender alongside male and female in the upcoming CAPF (Assistant Commandants) Examination 2020.

Union Home Ministry has asked CRPF, ITBP, SSB & CISF to examine the issue of incorporating 'transgender' as Third gender along with Male/Female in the rules of CAPF(AC') Examination 2020; asks the forces to furnish comments to take final view on the matter. pic.twitter.com/QMU1ctaat9

— ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2020

Prior to the MHA’s suggestion, there had been no provision for recruiting transgender individuals in the paramilitary forces. Currently, the MHA is waiting on the response from various branches of the paramilitary forces – including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

Transgender people in paramilitary forces: MHA seeks suggestions of authorities https://t.co/JDyQqQb8xc

— THE WEEK (@TheWeekLive) July 2, 2020

Last year, the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill was passed in Parliament. This bill sought to enable the social, economic, and educational empowerment of India’s transgender citizens. The MHA’s move to include transgender persons in the CAPF exams can be viewed as an aftereffect of the bill.

The #Indian government has decided to induct members of #transgender community in the country’s elite paramilitary forces ending discrimination against the marginalised section https://t.co/231of18axn

— National Herald (@NH_India) July 2, 2020

If the paramilitary forces are willing to accept the MHA’s suggestion, then the upcoming exam for recruiting assistant commandants in December will include transgender as the third gender in its application forms. Such an inclusion would be a progressive step toward transgender representation in Indian society. The move has been hailed as having the potential to break a glass ceiling for this underrepresented group.

Glass ceiling could be broken for transgenders: MHA seeks view of paramilitary forces on Transgender as Asstt Commandants.

MHA seriously considering commissioning the “third gender” as Officers in ITBP, SSB, BSF & CRPF.

MHA has seeks opinion of CAPFs @IndiaToday pic.twitter.com/RkG9aUUg0Q

— kamaljit sandhu (@kamaljitsandhu) July 2, 2020

India’s military and paramilitary branches have served in the name of all citizens for decades. Now, if the MHA’s suggestion comes to pass, the third gender can proudly return the favour.