Finance
The Odisha government has instructed all of its ministries to make sure that “Third Gender/Transgender” is listed as a distinct category on application forms for a number of state government positions.
By taking this action, the state hopes to align its hiring practices with the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, which forbids discrimination against transgender people in the workplace, in schools, in housing, in healthcare, and in public services.
In a letter to all Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, and Commissioner-cum-Secretary of all Departments on Saturday, the Department of Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) reaffirmed that all government departments must amend their current examination regulations and include the required information in both online and offline application forms in order to recognize transgender individuals as a separate category alongside male and female.
The directive emphasizes the state’s obligation to guarantee that transgender individuals are not excluded from hiring, advancement, or other employment-related possibilities. The OPSC, OSSC, OSSSC, SSB, and other departments, commissions, and boards were also urged by the SSEPD to take prompt action to ensure compliance and to report back on their progress.
Officials stressed that the program complies with Sections 9 and 10 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, which prohibit discrimination against transgender people in employment-related situations by any establishment. The government has also reminded departments that self-perceived gender identity is recognized by the Act, but legal recognition requires a formal certificate from the District Magistrate.
Social activists and rights organizations have long called for an inclusive system that gives transgender people equal access to state services, and Odisha hopes to achieve this goal by implementing this inclusion.
