Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has directed the state government to ensure the inclusion of a third gender/transgender option in application forms for examinations conducted by the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC).
The directive followed a petition filed by a third gender candidate, Sony Sil, who pointed out that the online application forms for state civil services and combined competitive examinations did not provide any option beyond male and female, effectively excluding transgender aspirants from applying.
Taking note of the issue, the Commission recommended that the General Administration and Public Grievance Department instruct the OPSC to immediately incorporate a third gender option in its examination forms. The OHRC also suggested extending the application deadline by 15 days to allow affected candidates adequate time to apply.
In a broader recommendation, the Commission advised the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department to ensure that the third gender option is uniformly included across all government recruitment application processes in the state. It further asked the department to examine the feasibility of providing a one percent horizontal reservation for transgender persons in government jobs.
The OHRC said the move is necessary to uphold constitutional rights, ensure equal opportunity in public employment, and promote social inclusion of the transgender community in Odisha.
-OdishaAge
