Expert Panel for Transgender Healthcare | 03 Feb 2026

Source: TH 

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has formed a multidisciplinary panel of medical experts to provide technical and policy guidance on healthcare issues specific to transgender persons. 

• The government has acknowledged that transgender persons have distinct healthcare needs due to hormonal, physiological, and psychological differences. 
• This move aligns public health policy with constitutional values of dignity, equality, and non-discrimination under Articles 14, 15, 19, and 21. 
• The step follows a Supreme Court directive in the Jane Kaushik vs Union of India case, 2025, where an advisory committee was set up after allegations of workplace discrimination against a transwoman. 
• India’s transgender population stands at around 4.88 lakh as per the 2011 Census, with the largest populations in Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. 

Timeline of Reforms for Transgender Persons 

• Election Commission's Directive (2009): Registration forms were updated to include an "others" option, allowing transsexual individuals to avoid male or female identification. 
• Supreme Court Ruling (2014): In National Legal Services Authority vs. Union of India case, 2014, the Supreme Court recognized transgender people as the "Third Gender," emphasizing it as a human rights issue. 
• Legislative Efforts: Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 was enacted to protect transgender rights.