Draft Bill proposes reservation benefits for all transgenders

Transgenders who by birth do not belong to Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes may be declared as Backward Class and would be entitled for reservation under the existing ceiling of OBC category, according to a draft Bill on their rights.
"Transgender persons, who by birth belong to Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes, would be entitled for reservation under their respective categories as per the existing rules.
"Further, transgenders will not be prevented from competing for seats which are not reserved for them," says the draft Bill formulated by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
The ministry has sought suggestions and comments on the draft Bill, titled The Rights of Transgender Persons Bill, 2015, by the stakeholders and expert groups by tomorrow.

The Ministry will be holding a pre-legislative consultation meeting on the draft Bill at Vigyan Bhawan on January 18. The meeting will be chaired by Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot.
As per the draft Bill, transgenders will declared as the third gender and a transgender person should have the option to identify as 'man', 'woman' or 'transgender' as well as have the right to choose any of the options independent of surgery or hormones.

Only the nomenclature 'transgender' should be used and nomenclatures like 'other or 'others' should not be used.
"Also, transgenders would also be issued a proper certificate for their identity by a state-level authority duly designated or constituted by respective the state or UT on the lines of Tamil Nadu Aravanis Welfare Board, on the recommendation of a District level Screening Committee headed by the Collector/ District Magistrate and comprising District Social Welfare Officer, Psychologist, psychiatrist, a social worker and two representatives of transgender community," the draft said.

The certificate issued will have to be acceptable to all authorities for indicating the gender on official documents like ration card, passport, birth certificate, aadhaar card, etc. In the education sector, all the education institutions and universities will be establishing an anti-discrimination cell to monitor any form of discrimination against the transgender community.
Also, an appropriate government and local authorities shall ensure participation of transgender persons in adult education and continuing education programmes on an equal basis with others.
Other benefits that students belonging to this community would be able to avail include scholarship, entitlements, fee-waiver, free textbooks, free hostel accommodation and other facilities at subsidised rates.