In a first, Karnataka university introduces transgender reservation in LLB course

The student approached the court in 2023 after NLSIU refused admission to him and sought directions for the government and the university to implement the Karnataka State Policy on Transgenders 2017 and to provide transgender people with reservation. In an interim order, the court also directed the university to grant admission to the transgender person in the LLB course in 2023-24.

In its final order dated December 16, 2024, the single-judge bench directed NLSIU to implement the Supreme Court’s directions in the NALSA case by formulating a reservation policy, along with measures to provide financial aid to transgender people in education, before the next academic year’s admission process starts. It also directed NLSIU to provide 0.5 per cent interim reservation with a fee waiver.

NLSIU has appealed against this high court order.

The high court had called on the state government and KSLU to see whether the transgender student can be granted financial aid and admission to an LLB programme at any law college in the state. It was later informed that a seat was reserved for the student at BMS College of Law and Seshadripuram Law College.

In 2021, the government notified the Karnataka Civil Services (General Recruitment) (Amendment) Rules, providing for horizontal reservation to transgender people in public employment.