A Class 12 student has moved the Supreme Court seeking urgent directions to the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and state education councils to implement transgender-inclusive Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in schools across India.

The petition, filed by Kaavya Mukherjee through advocate Anil Kumar, points out that despite statutory obligations under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, and earlier Supreme Court rulings, school curricula continue to omit structured lessons on gender identity, gender diversity, and the distinction between sex and gender.

Mukherjee’s review of textbooks across Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka found “systemic exclusion” of such content, with Kerala being a partial exception.

“This erasure not only violates fundamental rights under Articles 14, 15, 19(1)(a), 21, and 21A but also undermines Directive Principles aimed at promoting equality and dignity,” the plea argued, warning that the absence of transgender-inclusive education entrenches stigma and discrimination.

The petition also highlighted that India’s transgender literacy rate stands at just 57.06 percent—far below the national average of 74 percent—underscoring the impact of policy neglect and social exclusion.

With 23 states and Union Territories substantially relying on NCERT textbooks, the lack of inclusive content has “far-reaching consequences for constitutional compliance and social justice,” it stated.

The petitioner has urged the court to direct NCERT, State Councils of Educational Research and Training (SCERTs), and allied bodies to embed “scientifically accurate, age-appropriate, and transgender-inclusive CSE” in examinable textbooks across the school system.

A bench of Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran is scheduled to hear the matter on September 1.