Is India’s new transgender law not grounded in scientific knowledge?

Parliament last month passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026. The new legislation significantly amends the 2019 Act.

According to the new law, an examination by the medical board is mandatory to confirm transgender identity.

However, critics have pointed out that the new law leaves out many trans men, trans women and non-binary individuals, who do not fall into law’s definition of a ‘transgender person’ which only includes socio-cultural identities like hijra, kinner, aravani.

Experts have said that the new law is not based on scientific knowledge.