The Madras High Court has issued a directive to the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) to not dismiss the application of a transgender candidate for an undergraduate course based solely on her gender identity. The ruling, delivered by Justice M Dhandapani, comes as a significant affirmation of transgender rights in educational institutions.
The court’s decision was in response to a petition filed by A Nivetha, who challenged TANUVAS’s admission prospectus for the 2024-2025 undergraduate degree programs. Nivetha argued that the prospectus was illegal in not recognizing transgender individuals as a special category for admissions. While the counsel for the university did not strongly oppose the petition, they did not accept the argument for a special category status either.
Justice Dhandapani, in his order, focused on ensuring that Nivetha’s application, submitted on June 26, 2024, would be considered on its merit rather than her transgender status. He instructed the university to properly evaluate her application and place her accordingly within two weeks, provided she meets the merit criteria.
