1. What is the recent development regarding reservation benefits for transgender persons in India?
The Central government has informed the Supreme Court that there is no separate reservation provided exclusively for transgender persons in education or employment.
2. Can transgender persons avail of any reservation benefits?
Yes, transgender persons can avail of reservation benefits if they belong to existing categories, which include Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC), and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
3. What was the direction given by the Supreme Court in the NALSA vs Union of India case?
In the NALSA judgment, the Supreme Court directed the Centre and State governments to treat transgender persons as socially and economically backward classes of citizens. The court also instructed the governments to extend reservation benefits to them in educational institutions and public appointments.
4. What steps has the government taken to address the issues faced by the transgender community?
Since the NALSA judgment in 2014, the government has taken various measures, including the creation of a National Portal for Transgender Persons, enactment of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act of 2019, and the establishment of a National Council for Transgender Persons to advise on welfare initiatives.
