For the first time in the State’s history, three transgender persons have cleared the recently concluded Bihar Police Subordinate Services Commission (BPSSC) exam and are set to join the police force as sub-inspectors.
The results of the examination, which were announced on Tuesday, saw 1,275 candidates making the cut from more than six lakh aspirants for the police posts. Of them, 822 are men, 450 women, and three belong to the ‘third gender’ category.
Manvi Madhu Kashyap, a transgender woman, was thrilled with the outcome. “My journey as a transgender person has not been easy. I’ve had to face taunts from the public, and my family also had to suffer,” the 23-year-old said, adding that she had to leave Bhagalpur, her hometown, and move to Patna for nine years to escape the societal pressure.
‘Proud of my identity’
Two years ago, she underwent a surgery, causing her to lose out on several months of preparation for the examination. “My goal has always been to become a civil servant, but I cleared this exam to don a police uniform and become self-independent first,” she told mediapersons in Patna. “Now, I feel proud of my identity. One must not complain about things like gender, but should instead sincerely try to achieve one’s goals,” she added.
Interestingly, the two transgender men who also cleared the exam — Rohit Jha from Sitamarhi and Bunty Kumar from Muzaffarpur — studied with Ms. Kashyap in the same coaching centre in Patna.
“I initially faced a lot of difficulty in securing admission to a coaching institute to prepare for the BPSSC. Most of them simply refused to take me in because of my transgender identity, but Guru Rahman found a place for me and my two peers,” Ms. Kashyap said.
“She [Ms. Kashyap] was determined to clear the exam, and her hard work finally paid off. I am equally happy for the other two students, and very proud that all three transgender individuals from my coaching institute got selected,” said their teacher, Mr. Rahman.
Following a Patna High Court judgment in 2021, the State government had asked the BPSSC to recruit persons of the third gender into the police services and the Home Department. It had also filed an affidavit before a two-member Bench of the High Court, saying that it would post a sub-inspector and four constables from the category in every district of the State.
Numbers challenged
According to the latest State caste survey conducted in 2022, the transgender community makes up only 0.0006% of Bihar’s population, with just 825 members.
The numbers, which present a sharp contrast from the 2011 census that had pegged their number at 40,827 members, has been challenged by several activists in the State.
But the move to induct transgender persons into public service has been lauded by many. “I feel proud of Madhu and her peers. The results will motivate other members of their community to achieve anything they want in life through hard work and dedication,” said Patna-based transgender rights activist Reshma Prasad, who works for the upliftment of the community through her organisation Dostana Safar.
Meanwhile, Ms. Kashyap said she hoped her achievement would trigger a change in her village. “I plan to visit home in my police uniform and tell everyone I’m not ashamed of my gender,” she said, adding that she hoped she had done her mother and three siblings proud.