Maharashtra Police Alters Test Standards To Aid Transgenders Apply For Cop Jobs

The Maharashtra Home Department has fixed the physical test criteria for hiring transgenders into the Police service.

Written By Isha Bhandari

The Maharashtra Home Department has fixed the physical test criteria for hiring transgenders into the Police service. This comes days after the state government informed the Bombay High Court that it will open a new window for this community.

According to the order, candidates who fall under the transgender category must self-identify as either male or female and can accordingly appear for the physical test.

Maharashtra Police recently started an exercise to fill 18,331 posts in the force, mostly constables. In Nagpur rural police recruitment, one transgender candidate applied for the post of constable, while five applications were received in Nagpur city police.

As a part of the fitness test, male candidates were required to run a distance of 1,600 meters within a time limit, while female candidates were asked to run 800 metres. Job seekers also had to participate in shot put throws. But for transgender candidates, the rules were not clear as to how much they would have to run.

The physical requirements

For the self-identified female candidate, the heights as per the new norms should not be less than 158 cm, while it has to be a minimum of 165 cm for a self-identified male, said the Home Department’s order.

Self-identified male applicants will be required to participate in the 1,600-metre and 100-metre runs as a part of the physical tests. For these contenders, the shot put weight is 8 kg, according to an official.

According to the official, the shot put weight has remained at 4 kg and the running distances for candidates who identify as female are 800 metres and 100 metres.

The official also stated that transgender candidates’ chest measurements would not be taken into account.

Six member panel suggests new rules

The state government formed a six-member team, which included two doctors and a psychologist, to determine the physical test norms. Director-general (training and special squads) Sanjay Kumar served as its head.

Transgender candidates in race already

While one transgender applicant filed for a constable position with the Nagpur Rural Police, five applications were received by the Nagpur City Police.

Courtesy : Republic World

Note: This news piece was originally published in republicworld.com and used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes exclusively for Human Rights.