S. Swapna
S. Swapna | |
|---|---|
| Born | 3 July 1990 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Other names | Swapna |
| Education | B.A. (Tamil) |
S Swapna, is the first transgender Gazetted Officer in India. She is also the first transgender person to take the civil services TNPSC recruitment exam for public service employees in the Tamil Nadu state.[1] Swapna is serving as Assistant commissioner of Commercial Tax Department in Tamil Nadu.[2]
Background
Swapna, born in Madurai, Tamil Nadu applied for the TNPSC Group IV Exam in 2012, but the board refused her application because of her transgender gender identity. As a result of this decision, Swapna carried out a protest in front of Madurai District Collectorate along with Gopi Shankar Madurai on 7 October 2013 demanding reservation and to permit alternate genders to appear for examinations conducted by TNPSC, UPSC, SSC and Bank Exams. She later filed a petition at the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court to allow transgender women to take TNPSC exams as female candidates.[3] In 2013 the appeal was successful and she was allowed to take the exam as female candidate, she is the first transgender woman to take this exam.[4][5]
Challenging TNPSC
Swapna had sought a direction for canceling the main written exams conducted on 29, 30 and 31 July 2016, for Group-I services. The Madras High Court directed the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission on 3 November 2017 to produce the entire file relating to the selection of Group-I officers before it on 8 November. The court had earlier directed the Commissioner of Police to conduct an investigation into alleged malpractices in the TNPSC exams based on complaints and submit a detailed report.[6]
References
- ^ "Meet Swapna, the first transgender to take civil services examination". 2 December 2013.
- ^ "Madurai Swapna, the first transgender Gazetted Officer". 6 January 2020.
- ^ "Transgenders protest demanding name change in certificates". The Times of India. 29 April 2014.
- ^ Vandhana, M. (14 May 2013). "'No equality under law'" – via www.thehindu.com.
- ^ "Transgenders stage protest at collectorate". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013.
- ^ "HC direction to TNPSC on alleged irregularities in exams". Press Trust of India.