Kerala HC orders CBSE to address plea of transgender student for alteration in certificates

The Kerala High Court (HC) today, January 27, has ordered the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to decide on a transgender student's request for name and gender change in his Class X and XII board certificates within a month. The IANS reports that the single-judge bench consisting of Justice Shaji P. Chaly further instructed CBSE to request additional details or documentation that might be required, within two weeks. 

"Having heard learned counsel for the petitioner and Standing Counsel for CBSE, this matter is disposed of directing the CBSE, Regional Office, Thiruvananthapuram to finalise the application submitted by the petitioner within one month from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment. I also make it clear that if any clarification is required from the petitioner, sufficient requests shall be made by CBSE from today. I direct the registry to mask the name of the petitioner in all further proceedings," the IANS report quoted the court as saying

The petitioner who was born a female has recently changed his name and gender. He stated that to enrol on a PG programme, he must update his CBSE-issued Class X and XII certificates to reflect his new name and gender. The petitioner already holds an undergraduate degree and wishes to pursue his education further. He argued that whenever a person changes their gender, the change must be acknowledged in all official records under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020.

The petitioner claimed that after approaching CBSE about changing his documents, they informed him that to modify the school certificates he needed to change his birth certificate. However, despite the required amendments on the birth certificate, CBSE didn't change the details on the board certificates.