SSB seeks internal views on recruiting transgenders

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 23

In a courageous move, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), in a communication to all its formations across the country, has sought comments and views on the issue of inclusion of transgenders as third gender in the rules for CAPF (Assistant Commandant) Examination, 2020 for recruitment of officers.

The SSB, moving first among the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), has communicated to its formations on the issue following a direction by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) asking all ministries and department of Central Government to include transgenders for recruitment of directly appointed gazetted officers.

In CAPFs, cadre gazetted officers are recruited in the rank of Assistant Commandant. Sources in the SSB said the opinion had been sought to see whether there could be a possibility transgenders intake by modifying the recruitment rules.

While the UPSC conducts the examination for the recruitment of the cadre officers, every paramilitary force has its own recruitment rules, they said.

Separately a senior DoPT official said, soon other CAPFs including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) will also follow suit in changing the recruitment rules in this regard.