1% quota okay, but we need changes in offices: Transgenders
Some are still skeptical as many of these jobs need higher education, while most transgenders are school dropouts.
By Ashwini M Sripad
BENGALURU: As the State government is planning to restart the recruitment process, which was stopped due to the pandemic for the last one-and-a-half years, it will create space for 1 per cent reservation in government jobs for transgenders for the first time in the country.
Women and Child Welfare Minister Halappa Achar said the guidelines for the selection process have already been framed, while activists and transgenders are demanding facilities like separate washrooms, awareness among coworkers and more. Some are still skeptical as many of these jobs need higher education, while most transgenders are school dropouts.
Achar said the guidelines will be applicable immediately. Chief Secretary P Ravikumar, too, confirmed that the job reservation will be applicable for transgenders for any job posts in the government sector from now on. Padma Shri award winner Jogati Manjamma, a transgender folk artist, said though they welcome the reservation the government has to do a lot to bring the community to the mainstream. She said that the government has to make changes in offices, like separate toilets for transgenders, as they are not welcome either in men’s or women’s washrooms.
“Also, most of the people from the community are school dropouts, while the requirement for government jobs is graduation or postgraduation. The government should encourage more people from the trans-community to enroll for higher education and allow them to apply for jobs. Otherwise, the reservation will only be namesake,” she pointed out.
Prathima, a transwoman, said people working in the government sector already should be sensitised. “Even if we get jobs, there are chances that the others will look down upon us. They need to be told that we are also as capable as normal people. There is a change in the way people look at transgenders, but we are still not welcome at many places,” she added.
Courtesy : TNIE
Note: This news piece was originally published in thenewindianexpress.com and use purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes exclusively for Human Rights objectives.