Hyderabad: Members of the transgender community may soon be able to work as teachers in Karnataka, according to the state government's decision to set aside 1% of the available positions for them during the upcoming recruitment.

For the first time in Karnataka's history, candidates from the transgender community will be employed in the education department.

In the future, the state Department of Primary and Secondary Education will make a 1% reservation for the community in all recruitments. This was also stated in the draft guidelines that were published for the recruitment of 15,000 teachers to various government schools throughout the state.

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According to the draft notification, at least 150 positions will be earmarked for transgender candidates in the upcoming recruitment. According to department sources, the decision was taken based on modifications to the Karnataka Civil Service (General Recruitment) Rules, 1977. Following a petition filed in the Karnataka High Court in 2021, the amendments were made.

"This is the first recruitment we are doing after the amendments were brought to the rules. Following the amendments and state government notification, we are reserving 1% posts for the transgender community," said Dr Vishal R, Commissioner, Department of Public Instructions.

According to officials, if there are no candidates or fewer than 1%, the positions will be automatically converted to other categories.

Despite the department's announcement of reservations for transgender people, community members are unlikely to see any changes to the eligibility requirements. "They must be graduates in any subject and must have obtained B.Ed degrees and cleared the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET)."

The Common Entrance Test for the recruitment of 15,000 teachers will be held soon, according to department officials, and they will be assigned to various government schools to teach children in grades 6 to 8.