Assam now becomes officially the first state to include transgender as an option in the gender category of the civil service examination form. A total of 42 transgender persons have applied for the combined competitive (preliminary) examination (CCE), 2020, which is conducted by the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC). The examination is similar to the civil services examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and selects candidates for state civil service, police and other allied services for the state.
Lauding the step taken by the state commission for the upliftment of the transgender community, Swati Bidhan Baruah, associate vice-chairperson of the Assam State Transgender Welfare Board told G Plus, “It’s a much-welcomed development. But only doing so wouldn’t be of much help if special steps are not included. I have written to the Commission to secure reservations for the community and also provide special standard operating procedures (SOP) so that others do not misuse this provision.”
This examination is similar to the civil services examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and selects candidates for state civil service, police and other allied services for the state.
This bold move was definitely a sign of development and in the right direction. It was well appreciated by the community and everyone else too. We hope this initiative is soon taken by other states too.