‘Set guidelines to hire transgenders for govt jobs’

Justice N Kirubakaran’s direction on Wednesday had come about on a plea moved by Tharika Banu (27), a transgender, praying for a direction to the secretary, Directorate of Indian Medicine and Homeopathy to allot a seat in Bachelor of Siddha Medicine and Surgery (BSMS) for UG course in Indian Medicine and Homeopathy for 2017-18.

The petitioner had contended that admission cannot be denied on the ground that she has not obtained the minimum marks of 50 per cent. She noted that as per the prospectus, the minimum marks hold good only for `males’ and `females’ as it has not mentioned anything about transgenders.

The judge on directing the authority to allot one seat to the petitioner, said “Leniency should be shown to the transgender and the minimum marks applicable to male and female students cannot be made applicable to transgenders. The authorities are guilty of not implementing the orders of the Supreme Court and this court, by providing a separate reservation for them,” the judge said.

He also held that the authorities should admit the petitioner into the course, immediately within a week, failing which they shall appear before the court on December 11.