THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, JANUARY 29,
2026
In a
significant step towards inclusive governance and equal opportunity, the Odisha
Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has directed the state government to introduce a
separate gender option for transgender persons in civil services examination
applications conducted by the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC). Citing
the Supreme Court’s landmark 2014 judgment recognising transgender persons as a
third gender and the provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of
Rights) Act, 2019, the Commission has also recommended reserving at least one
per cent of government jobs for the transgender community.
The
Commission, headed by Justice Satrughna Pujahari, further instructed the state
to extend the application deadline for the forthcoming Odisha Combined Civil
Services Examination by 15 days to ensure that transgender candidates are not
excluded from the recruitment process due to systemic barriers.
The
directive follows a complaint filed by a transgender woman, Sony Sil, who
approached the Commission alleging that she was unable to apply for OPSC posts
because the online application form did not include an option for transgender
or third-gender applicants. Taking cognisance of the grievance, the OHRC
observed that the omission amounted to discrimination and violated the
fundamental rights to equality and non-discrimination guaranteed under the
Constitution.
In its order
addressed to the General Administration Department and the Social Security and
Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department, the Commission noted that
the absence of a “Third Gender/Transgender” category in the application form
effectively prevented transgender persons from participating in the examination
process on an equal footing with others. Such exclusion, the Commission said,
constituted discriminatory treatment and infringed upon their constitutional
and statutory rights.
Disposing of
the complaint, the OHRC recommended that the state government urgently consider
the inclusion of “Third Gender/Transgender” as a gender option in all
government job applications and implement at least a one per cent horizontal
reservation for transgender persons across recruitments. It also directed all
recruiting boards and authorities, including the OPSC, to adopt these measures.
Emphasising
the need for immediate action, the Commission advised the General
Administration Department to formally request the OPSC to incorporate the
transgender gender option without delay and to extend the application deadline
by at least fifteen days, enabling eligible transgender candidates to apply and
compete fairly.
The OHRC’s
intervention is being seen as a crucial move towards translating constitutional
guarantees and legislative intent into administrative practice, reinforcing the
rights of transgender persons to dignity, equality and meaningful participation
in public employment.
