Transgender Community Urges Authorities to Finalize Criterion for Physical Tests or Postpone Exams

In a significant development, the transgender community has urged to soon finalise the criterion for physical tests for them or to postponed the exams, that are scheduled for this month.

This development came after transgenders, who were allowed to apply for the posts of constables and drivers in the police force, were not allowed to appear for physical tests that happened in the last two months in the absence of a test criterion.

The transgender community has now objected to continue the process with the proposed written exams for the male and female candidates slated on March 19.

After the Bombay High Court (HC) asked the Maharashtra government to create a separate category in December last year, 72 transgenders applied for the post of constables and drivers in the police force.

The applicants, however, were told that the state government has not set the criterion for the physical tests of the transgender candidates.

The community met the officials from the home department on February 14 for the criterion for our physical test, but they did not get any proper response. Some of them were told to cancel their applications as they did not fulfil the criterion.

Despite HC’s decision, the state has continued the recruitment process and proposed the written exams of the other category candidates who have cleared the physical tests.

Hence, the community has decided to protest against this and warned to not allow holding the written test for male and female candidates if the criterion for the transgenders was not finalised by then as this may lead to contempt of court as the HC had directed to finalise the criterion for transgenders before February 28.

On the other hand, Sanjay Kumar, director general (training and special squads) told HT that the written exam has just been proposed and they are in the last leg of finalising the criterion for the transgenders. It is expected to be approved by the state government in the next few days. If it’s not finalised by March 19, they have the option of postponing the exam.