S. Swapna, a 26-year-old transwoman from Madurai, who had cleared three Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) examinations for different posts, has blamed the commission for being unfair for its decision to withhold appointment orders since her community certificate was not in accordance with a government order issued in 2015.
While Ms. Swapna came under Backward Class (Muslim) category by birth, the Government Order 28 issued by Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare Department Department in 2015 had brought all transgenders under MBC category.
Submitting a petition to Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao on Tuesday, accompanied by more than a 100 aspirants who prepare for competitive examinations along with her at the park in Madurai Corporation, Ms. Swapna said that she had cleared three examinations last year — the exam for the post of Assistant in Registration Department, for Reader / Examiner in Madras High Court Services and for Village Administrative Officer.
In the letter confirming her selection for all three posts, the authorities concerned said that her appointment was withheld owing to the case filed by Ms. Swapna challenging GO 28, which is pending in Madras High Court.
“The case has been pending in the court for past many months without hearing. Meanwhile, I am losing out on opportunities despite toiling hard and getting selected. Even if the court rules in my favour, there is no certainty that I may get any of these jobs since the vacancies may get filled by then,” she said.
Claiming that she was capable of clearing the examinations even in the open competition (OC) category, she said that she approached the court not for herself but for the entire transgender community since she found GO 28 to be flawed.
“The government has not given any internal reservation for transgenders within MBC quota. Hence, if a transgender person, for instance, belonged to Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe community by birth, he / she had a better chance of getting jobs or seats in educational institutions. Then why force them compulsorily into MBC?” she asked.
“Moreover, even if I get an MBC community certificate, the officials will tell me that my appointment will face further trouble since there is no clarity on appointing transgenders for these posts,” she alleged.
“For many years, I was not allowed to take exams since my school certificates had the name given by my parents. It was a long struggle to resolve that. Now, I am not given a job despite getting selected. I wonder if the government is really serious about uplifting the lives of transgenders,” she said.
