Court directs to give one percent reservation to transgender persons in government jobs

Court directs to give one percent reservation to transgender persons in government jobs

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court, while hearing a petition filed by a transgender, has issued an order to the West Bengal government. The High Court has directed the state government to provide 1 percent reservation for transgenders in all government jobs in the state. The court said that the state government has adopted a policy of equal treatment in employment for transgenders.

Justice Rajasekhar Mantha directed the Chief Secretary of the West Bengal government to ensure 1% reservation for transgender persons in all government jobs. The high court order came on a plea by a transgender who cleared the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) 2014 and also TET 2022 but was not called for counselling or interview.

The Calcutta High Court said that however, reservation has not been provided for them yet. The court also directed the Secretary of the West Bengal Primary Education Board to arrange for the interview and counseling of the petitioner as a special case.

Justice Mantha also said that the apex court had directed the Central and state governments to take steps to treat them as socially and educationally backward citizens and “extend all types of reservation in matters of admission to educational institutions and to Government appointments”.

The West Bengal chief secretary had informed the high court that the state’s Women and Child Development and Social Welfare Department had issued a notification on November 30, 2022, that transgender persons are entitled to equal opportunity for employment without any discrimination.