CHENNAI: “The State should not reject the application of trans persons to enrol in educational courses based on their gender,” held the Madras High Court and directed the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (Tanuvas) to place the trans person’s petition into the course.

Justice M Dhandapani directed Tanuvas to place the petitioner in the course after considering her application within two weeks.

The petition was moved by A Nivetha seeking to quash the admission notification published by Tanuvas for under graduation as it hadn’t categorised trans persons under the special category.

“Since the gender was not listed, I couldn’t enrol in the course,” said the petitioner. Nivetha also sought the court’s direction to admit her in the Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry course for the 2024-2025 academic year under the special category as trans persons.

Tanuvas’s counsel submitted that the petitioner’s application would be considered, after which, the judge made it clear that the varsity should not reject Nivetha’s application based on her gender, and place her into the course within the stipulated time.