The Calcutta High Court, on the 2nd of February, had directed the Centre to provide reservation and other benefits for transgender persons in Joint CSIR-UGC NET Examinations at all levels be provided immediately.
The Bench composed of Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya was hearing the plea of Sumana Pramanik, a student at Kalyani University who is also the state’s first transgender person to be appointed to a Lok Adalat.
The plea stated that the petitioner was seeking relief to appear for the Joint CSIR-UGC NET Examination, due to the financial stress caused by the lockdown. The Court stated that no reservation, no fee relaxation, and no age relaxation to the transgender community in the Joint CSIR-UGC NET Examinations is not acceptable as it violates Article 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution.
The Court then ordered for an immediate reservation, age relaxation, and fee concession for the category of transgender persons, along with the other reserved categories, for the exam at all levels.
