Court directs CBSE to process gender transition name/gender correction application in educational certificate within time limit.

O R D E R

This Writ Petition has been filed seeking a direction to the respondents to issue a fresh XII Standard Certificate to the petitioner reflecting his name as “Dhruv Thota” instead of Sneha T. Praveen and incorporating the correct gender as “Male” based on the Application No.HM2555130018 dated

29.09.2025.

2. Heard Mr.Vishal Sridhar, learned counsel for the petitioner. Mr.T.Sri Krishna Bhagavat, learned counsel takes notice on behalf of the respondents 1 and 2. With the consent of both sides, the main Writ Petition itself is taken up for final disposal at the admission stage. Since no adverse order is to be passed as against the third respondent, notice to the third respondent is dispensed with.

3. It is the case of the petitioner that the petitioner was born as a female child and was assigned the name ‘Sneha T Praveen’, which was duly recorded in all statutory and educational records. In the year 2020, the petitioner experienced severe psychological distress relating to gender identity and was diagnosed with gender dysphoria, therefore, the petitioner undergone appropriate surgery and hormone therapy and upon completion of medical transition, the petitioner initiated lawful steps including publication in newspapers and notification in the Gazette. In view of the same, all the major Government Identity documents were duly updated reflecting the petitioner’s name as “Dhruv Thota” and gender as “Male”. However, despite full compliance with full procedural requirements and submission of the application through the third respondent School for correction of the petitioner’s name and gender in the XII Standard Certificate to the authorities of the respondents 1 & 2, the application dated 29.09.2025 remains pending without any communication and hence, the present Writ Petition.

4. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that it would be suffice to issue a direction to the respondents to consider the petitioner’s application and dispose of the same, within a reasonable time.

5. The learned counsel for the respondents 1 & 2 submitted that the second respondent is the appropriate authority to consider the case of the petitioner and therefore, a direction may be given to the second respondent to consider the case of the petitioner within a time bound to comply the same.

6. I have considered the submissions made by the respective learned counsels and also perused the materials available on record.

7. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case and taking note of the submissions of the learned counsel on either side, this Court hereby directs the second respondent to consider the application of the petitioner viz., HM2555130018 dated 29.09.2025 and pass appropriate orders in accordance with law, within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of copy of the order.

8. With the above directions, the present Writ Petition is disposed of.