Transwoman clears Group-I exam of TNPSC after long legal battles
Swapna was instrumental in changing rules that disallowed transgenders
Published: 05th January 2020 05:05 AM |
S Swapna | Express
Express News Service
MADURAI: Sky is the limit for 28-year-old S Swapna from Madurai, who has become the first transwoman to crack the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) exam. A transwoman who championed the cause of people like her, wrote the examination in Tamil medium and secured 228th rank.
A graduate in Tamil literature, Swapna was not allowed to appear for the TNPSC exam in 2013 owing to her gender identity. She then staged protests and began waging legal battles. Coming as a milestone victory, the Madras High Court directed the State to allow transpersons to write the examination.
Swapna, who insists on being identified as a woman, again knocked at the doors of the court in 2015 and a Government Order was passed allowing transpersons to appear for TNPSC examinations under the ‘Female’ category.
In the same year, Swapna fought against a GO that gave all transpersons clearing TNPSC exams the reservation given to those belonging to Most Backward Communities (MBC), irrespective of their communities. An amendment was then made to the GO granting reservation for transgenders in TNPSC examinations in accordance with the communities they belong to. Drawing inspiration from former Madurai Collector U Sagayam, whom Swapna says motivated her to become a civil servant, she continued to appear for TNPSC examinations under various groups.
In March 2018, she became India’s first non-gazetted officer under Group II post after clearing TNPSC Group II A examinations. She joined her first job as assistant in the Registration Department at Sivaganga and was later posted as assistant in the Department of Commercial Taxes at Madurai. Swapna, who had earlier appeared for TNPSC Group I examination in 2015 and 2017, cracked the examination in her third attempt, the results for which was announced on December 31.
She has scored 489.75 marks out of 850 and stands a chance to be appointed as the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) or Assistant Commissioner of Commercial Taxes if she desires to continue in the Department of Commercial Taxes.Swapna will take a call during counselling to be held in Chennai on Monday.
“I was waiting for this moment for a long time. There are still miles to go. I fix smaller targets and work towards them. For instance, I had a resolve to open a bank account only after I secured a government job and I opened one to receive my first government salary. Likewise, I was hell-bent on honouring the greatest pillar of my strength - my mother N Pichaiyammal (54) who works as supervisor at an anganwadi in Alanganallur, by introducing her to the world after I cleared TNPSC Group I.
Today, I have done it. I had the privilege of family’s support because of my mother,” a jubilant Swapna, who aspires to become a District Collector, said. “Irrespective of gender identity, everyone is bound to be ridiculed by someone, at some point, for various reasons. Feeling downcast is not the way out. Instead, one has to focus on ways to ignite the fire within,” Swapna added.
Swapna was instrumental in changing rules that disallowed transgenders
Published: 05th January 2020 05:05 AM |
S Swapna | Express
Express News Service
MADURAI: Sky is the limit for 28-year-old S Swapna from Madurai, who has become the first transwoman to crack the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) exam. A transwoman who championed the cause of people like her, wrote the examination in Tamil medium and secured 228th rank.
A graduate in Tamil literature, Swapna was not allowed to appear for the TNPSC exam in 2013 owing to her gender identity. She then staged protests and began waging legal battles. Coming as a milestone victory, the Madras High Court directed the State to allow transpersons to write the examination.
Swapna, who insists on being identified as a woman, again knocked at the doors of the court in 2015 and a Government Order was passed allowing transpersons to appear for TNPSC examinations under the ‘Female’ category.
In the same year, Swapna fought against a GO that gave all transpersons clearing TNPSC exams the reservation given to those belonging to Most Backward Communities (MBC), irrespective of their communities. An amendment was then made to the GO granting reservation for transgenders in TNPSC examinations in accordance with the communities they belong to. Drawing inspiration from former Madurai Collector U Sagayam, whom Swapna says motivated her to become a civil servant, she continued to appear for TNPSC examinations under various groups.
In March 2018, she became India’s first non-gazetted officer under Group II post after clearing TNPSC Group II A examinations. She joined her first job as assistant in the Registration Department at Sivaganga and was later posted as assistant in the Department of Commercial Taxes at Madurai. Swapna, who had earlier appeared for TNPSC Group I examination in 2015 and 2017, cracked the examination in her third attempt, the results for which was announced on December 31.
She has scored 489.75 marks out of 850 and stands a chance to be appointed as the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) or Assistant Commissioner of Commercial Taxes if she desires to continue in the Department of Commercial Taxes.Swapna will take a call during counselling to be held in Chennai on Monday.
“I was waiting for this moment for a long time. There are still miles to go. I fix smaller targets and work towards them. For instance, I had a resolve to open a bank account only after I secured a government job and I opened one to receive my first government salary. Likewise, I was hell-bent on honouring the greatest pillar of my strength - my mother N Pichaiyammal (54) who works as supervisor at an anganwadi in Alanganallur, by introducing her to the world after I cleared TNPSC Group I.
Today, I have done it. I had the privilege of family’s support because of my mother,” a jubilant Swapna, who aspires to become a District Collector, said. “Irrespective of gender identity, everyone is bound to be ridiculed by someone, at some point, for various reasons. Feeling downcast is not the way out. Instead, one has to focus on ways to ignite the fire within,” Swapna added.
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