Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has directed the state government to incorporate a “third gender” or “transgender” option in the online application forms for examinations conducted by the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC). The directive came in response to a petition filed by a third-gender aspirant, Sony Sil of Cuttack, who flagged the absence of this category in OPSC’s online forms for forthcoming examinations, including the Odisha Combined Civil Services (OCS) exam. Sil contended that the omission amounted to a violation of the constitutional rights to equality and non-discrimination.
After hearing the matter on January 22, the OHRC expressed grave concern over the exclusion, noting that it runs contrary to the provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act. The Commission also cited Supreme Court directions mandating the recognition of transgender persons as a third gender and ensuring equal access to opportunities in public employment.
The OHRC urged the General Administration and Public Grievance Department to instruct the OPSC to modify its application forms by adding the “third gender/transgender” category. As the recruitment process for 465 Group A and Group B posts is already underway, the Commission further recommended extending the application deadline by at least 15 days so that affected candidates are not disadvantaged. The application window is currently open until February 20.
To ensure compliance, the Commission has sought a detailed action-taken report from the state government within 60 days.
