Polity · 18 Jul 2026

intersex persons distinct class

With reference to the recent Supreme Court plea concerning intersex persons in India, which one of the following statements is correct?

AIntersex persons are currently recognised as a legally distinct class separate from transgender persons under a dedicated 2019 statute
BIntersex persons currently fall under the definition of "transgender" under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019
CThe plea was filed seeking to merge intersex persons more fully into the existing transgender legal framework rather than seeking separation from it
DThe Madras High Court's Arunkumar ruling (2019) declined to address the issue of surgical intervention on intersex infants
This question is based on: Why the Supreme Court Plea on Intersex Persons Is Not a Transgender Rights Case
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About this question

Why in news

The Supreme Court issued notice to the Centre and States on a petition seeking recognition of intersex persons as a distinct class, separate from the transgender category and a ban on non-consensual infant surgeries.

Why for UPSC

UPSC frequently probes precise statutory classification questions in social justice topics - testing whether a group is currently covered under an existing law or is seeking new, separate recognition.

Prelims summary

Intersex persons are currently clubbed under the Transgender Persons Act, 2019; a Supreme Court petition now seeks their recognition as a legally distinct class, citing the Madras HC's 2019 Arunkumar precedent banning infant normalization surgery in Tamil Nadu.

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