Central govt job applications to have option to mark 'transgender', DoPT issues memorandum

Application forms for recruitment in central government will soon have option to mark the third gender.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Monday issued an office memorandum in this regard.

The DoPT has asked all ministries and departments to modify their examination rules providing for inclusion of "transgender" as a separate category of gender, so as to make rules in conformity with the provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, the office memorandum said.

It said the matter regarding the inclusion of "third gender/any other category" in application forms in recruitment to various posts under the central government was under consideration for quite sometime.

Based on the provisions of the Act and legal opinion obtained, Civil Services Examination Rules 2020 have been notified on February 2 this year providing for inclusion of "transgender" as a separate category of gender.

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Persons) Act, 2019 got assent of President Ram Nath Kovind on 5 December, 2019.