No private educational institution, employer in TN can compulsorily collect caste data, says Madras HC

No private educational institution or employer in Tamil Nadu can compulsorily collect caste data, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has ordered.

A Division Bench of Justices CV Karthikeyan and R. Sakthivel issued the direction while disposing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition seeking a direction to prohibit private educational institutions and private employers in Tamil Nadu from compulsorily collecting caste or community details in application forms unless specifically required by statutory provisions.

The petitioner, N. Vikraman of Virudhunagar, said that several private educational institutions and establishments were compulsorily collecting caste and community details in the admission and employment application forms, even though there was no legal requirement for such disclosure. He said such mandatory collection of caste information at the initial stage facilitates discrimination in selection and admission processes.

Forced publication of caste details without legal backing violated the right to equality, non-discrimination and informational privacy, he said.

Published – 10 Oct 2026 23:11 IST