For the first time ever in Nepal’s history, transgender people have sat the civil service exam.

Those vying for government jobs in Nepal must sit civil service exams run by the Public Service Commission (PSC).

The PSC reported for the 2015/2016 financial year, 651 transgender people sat the exam after the gender options were changed to include male, female and ‘other’.

‘The government opening doors to allow transgenders to join the civil service is a positive decision. It is a matter of providing equal opportunity to all citizens,’ PSC Chairman Umesh Prasad Mainali told the Kathmandu Post.

It is not known how many of the 651 transgender people were successful in securing a job because not all of the exam results had been released.

A good start, but more could be done

A spokesperson for the LGBTI advocacy group, Blue Diamond Society, said while it was great to allow transgender people to work in government, LGBTI people should be included in the reservation policy.

The government reserves 45% of civil service seats for disadvantaged groups like women, Dalits, ethnic minorities, indigenous people and the disabled.

‘The government should give LGBTIs a leg up for them to succeed in the society,’ the said.

‘There are many of us who come from poor backgrounds and who have lived in stigma all their lives just like the people who belong to the scheduled castes and tribes.’