@@ -59,3 +59,6 @@ next-env.d.ts
 
 # bank statements: never commit
 /STATEMENT*.xlsx
+
+# registration exports (students' personal data): never commit
+/innovision_registrations_*.csv
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ async function readCounter(supabase: SupabaseClient) {
       .maybeSingle();
     updatedBy = profile?.full_name || profile?.email || null;
   }
+  // The card just leaves out the female line if this fails.
+  const female = await supabase.rpc('female_seats_status');
+  if (female.error) console.error('/api/admin/seats female seats read failed:', female.error);
   return {
     error: null,
     counter: {
@@ -37,6 +40,7 @@ async function readCounter(supabase: SupabaseClient) {
       closedAt: data.closed_at,
       updatedAt: data.updated_at,
       updatedBy,
+      female: female.data ? { cap: female.data.cap, registered: female.data.registered, full: female.data.full } : null,
     },
   };
 }
 
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from 'next/server';
+import { getAuthenticatedUser } from '@/lib/auth-server';
+import { getSupabaseAdmin } from '@/lib/supabase';
+import { createRateLimiter } from '@/lib/security';
+
+export const runtime = 'nodejs';
+
+// The form asks once each time it opens while the cap is reached, so this only stops abuse.
+const accessLimiter = createRateLimiter({ limit: 60, windowMs: 10 * 60 * 1000 });
+
+/**
+ * GET /api/register/female-access
+ * Whether this student may still choose Female or Others at the cap, because they may already have paid
+ * (female_seat_kept, supabase/schema.sql section 21): { keepsAccess }. Display only: start-payment and the database
+ * make the same check themselves.
+ */
+export async function GET(req: NextRequest) {
+  try {
+    const auth = await getAuthenticatedUser(req);
+    if (!auth || !auth.user.email) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Please log in to continue.' }, { status: 401 });
+    }
+    const { user, token } = auth;
+
+    if (!accessLimiter.hit(user.id)) {
+      return NextResponse.json(
+        { error: 'Too many attempts. Please wait a few minutes and try again.' },
+        { status: 429, headers: { 'Retry-After': String(accessLimiter.retryAfterSeconds(user.id)) } }
+      );
+    }
+
+    const { data, error } = await getSupabaseAdmin(token).rpc('female_seats_status', { p_user_id: user.id });
+    if (error || !data) {
+      console.error('/api/register/female-access failed:', error);
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Could not check your registration.' }, { status: 500 });
+    }
+    return NextResponse.json({ keepsAccess: data.keeps_access === true });
+  } catch (err: unknown) {
+    console.error('API /api/register/female-access error:', err);
+    return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Internal server error' }, { status: 500 });
+  }
+}
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import {
   PHONE_IN_USE_ERROR_MESSAGE,
 } from '@/lib/validation';
 import { ATTEMPTS_USED_UP_ERROR, attemptsLeft, isAttemptsUsedUpError } from '@/lib/rejections';
-import { REGISTRATIONS_FULL_MESSAGE } from '@/lib/seats';
+import { FEMALE_SEATS_FULL_MESSAGE, isFemaleSeatsFullError, REGISTRATIONS_FULL_MESSAGE } from '@/lib/seats';
 import {
   classifyStudentType,
   createRateLimiter,
@@ -349,6 +349,10 @@ export async function POST(req: NextRequest) {
       if (isIterSoaRefusal(regError)) {
         return NextResponse.json({ error: ITER_SOA_ERROR_MESSAGE, field: 'college' }, { status: 403 });
       }
+      // The female seat cap (trg_guard_female_seats): the database is the only check here, so it holds under a rush.
+      if (isFemaleSeatsFullError(regError)) {
+        return NextResponse.json({ code: 'female_seats_full', error: FEMALE_SEATS_FULL_MESSAGE, field: 'gender' }, { status: 409 });
+      }
       if (regError.code !== '23505') break;
       // Unique violation on utr: another registration claimed this UTR between the pre-check and the insert (possibly
       // this user's own concurrent submit, when the UTR index is checked before the user_id index).
 
@@ -3,21 +3,22 @@ import { getAuthenticatedUser } from '@/lib/auth-server';
 import { getSupabaseAdmin } from '@/lib/supabase';
 import { registrationsClosedResponse, registrationsOpen } from '@/lib/registration-gate';
 import { ATTEMPTS_USED_UP_ERROR, attemptsLeft } from '@/lib/rejections';
-import { REGISTRATIONS_FULL_MESSAGE } from '@/lib/seats';
-import { createRateLimiter, readJsonObject } from '@/lib/security';
+import { FEMALE_SEATS_FULL_MESSAGE, REGISTRATIONS_FULL_MESSAGE } from '@/lib/seats';
+import { createRateLimiter, readJsonObject, REGISTRATION_GENDERS } from '@/lib/security';
 
 export const runtime = 'nodejs';
 
 // One call each time a student leaves the details step, so this only stops abuse.
 const startLimiter = createRateLimiter({ limit: 30, windowMs: 10 * 60 * 1000 });
 
 /**
- * POST /api/register/start-payment  { fresh? }
+ * POST /api/register/start-payment  { gender, fresh? }
  * Called before the form shows any payment details: a live read of the database, never a cached count. Answers with what
- * the student may do (issue_payment_pass, supabase/schema.sql section 20):
+ * the student may do (start_payment_for_gender, supabase/schema.sql sections 20 and 21):
  *   { state: 'pay', amount, currentFee }           show the payment details at this fee
  *   { state: 'already_paid', amount, currentFee }  no payment details: continue only if already paid
  *   409 { code: 'registrations_closed', error }    no payment details at all
+ *   409 { code: 'female_seats_full', error, field: 'gender' }  no payment details for this gender
  * The fee is locked here: the student may submit at it even if the phase closes or the fee rises meanwhile. `fresh` means
  * the student hasn't paid and wants the current fee instead of an older one they were quoted.
  */
@@ -40,6 +41,12 @@ export async function POST(req: NextRequest) {
     const body = await readJsonObject(req);
     if (!body.ok) return NextResponse.json({ error: body.error }, { status: body.status });
 
+    // Required, so the seat cap is always checked before anyone is shown a way to pay.
+    const { gender } = body.value;
+    if (!(REGISTRATION_GENDERS as readonly unknown[]).includes(gender)) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Select your gender.', field: 'gender' }, { status: 400 });
+    }
+
     // Nobody who can't submit should be shown a way to pay.
     const client = getSupabaseAdmin(token);
     const [active, rejected] = await Promise.all([
@@ -57,12 +64,20 @@ export async function POST(req: NextRequest) {
       return NextResponse.json({ error: ATTEMPTS_USED_UP_ERROR }, { status: 403 });
     }
 
-    const { data, error } = await client.rpc('issue_payment_pass', { p_user_id: user.id, p_fresh: body.value.fresh === true });
+    const { data, error } = await client.rpc('start_payment_for_gender', {
+      p_user_id: user.id,
+      p_fresh: body.value.fresh === true,
+      p_gender: gender,
+    });
     if (error || !data) {
       console.error('/api/register/start-payment pass failed:', error);
       return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Could not start the payment. Please try again.' }, { status: 500 });
     }
 
+    if (data.state === 'female_full') {
+      return NextResponse.json({ code: 'female_seats_full', error: FEMALE_SEATS_FULL_MESSAGE, field: 'gender' }, { status: 409 });
+    }
+
     if (data.state === 'closed') {
       return NextResponse.json({ code: 'registrations_closed', error: REGISTRATIONS_FULL_MESSAGE }, { status: 409 });
     }
 
@@ -10,12 +10,12 @@ export const runtime = 'nodejs';
 const CACHE_TTL_MS = 5 * 1000;
 const CACHE_HEADERS = { 'Cache-Control': 'public, max-age=5, s-maxage=5, stale-while-revalidate=10' };
 const NO_STORE = { 'Cache-Control': 'no-store' };
-let cached: { body: { total: number; left: number; closed: boolean }; expires: number } | null = null;
+let cached: { body: { total: number; left: number; closed: boolean; femaleFull: boolean }; expires: number } | null = null;
 
 /**
  * GET /api/seats
- * The seat counter on the registration form: { total, left, closed } (supabase/schema.sql, sections 17 and 20). Only
- * these, nothing about any registration. 503 while the counter isn't set up: the form then hides it.
+ * The seat counter on the registration form: { total, left, closed, femaleFull } (supabase/schema.sql, sections 17, 20
+ * and 21). Only these, nothing about any registration. 503 while the counter isn't set up: the form then hides it.
  */
 export async function GET() {
   try {
@@ -26,17 +26,24 @@ export async function GET() {
       return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Seat counter unavailable' }, { status: 503, headers: NO_STORE });
     }
 
-    const { data, error } = await getSupabaseAdmin()
-      .from('registration_counter')
-      .select('total_seats, seats_left, closed_at')
-      .eq('id', 1)
-      .maybeSingle();
+    const client = getSupabaseAdmin();
+    const [{ data, error }, female] = await Promise.all([
+      client.from('registration_counter').select('total_seats, seats_left, closed_at').eq('id', 1).maybeSingle(),
+      client.rpc('female_seats_status'),
+    ]);
     if (error || !data) {
       if (error) console.error('Seat counter query failed:', error);
       return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Seat counter unavailable' }, { status: 503, headers: NO_STORE });
     }
+    // Display only: a failed lookup leaves the options open, and start-payment and the database still enforce the cap.
+    if (female.error) console.error('Female seats query failed:', female.error);
 
-    const body = { total: data.total_seats, left: data.seats_left, closed: data.closed_at !== null };
+    const body = {
+      total: data.total_seats,
+      left: data.seats_left,
+      closed: data.closed_at !== null,
+      femaleFull: female.data?.full === true,
+    };
     cached = { body, expires: Date.now() + CACHE_TTL_MS };
     return NextResponse.json(body, { headers: CACHE_HEADERS });
   } catch (err: unknown) {
 
@@ -2,14 +2,15 @@
 // @ts-nocheck
 "use client";
 /* eslint-disable @next/next/no-img-element -- decorative/user-uploaded images not suited for next/image */
-import React, { useRef, useState } from 'react';
+import React, { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { useDialogFocus } from './useDialogFocus';
 import type { V } from './types';
 import { Logo } from './icons';
 import EntryPassCard from './EntryPassCard';
-import SeatCounter from './SeatCounter';
+import SeatCounter, { useFemaleAccess, useSeatCount } from './SeatCounter';
 import styles from './AuthOverlay.module.css';
 import { isIterSoaCollege, isIterSoaEmail, ITER_SOA_ERROR_MESSAGE } from '@/lib/validation';
+import { FEMALE_SEATS_FULL_MESSAGE, genderChoices } from '@/lib/seats';
 
 /* ── Payment QR lightbox state lives here, outside JSX ── */
 
@@ -72,6 +73,21 @@ export default function AuthOverlay({ v }: { v: V }) {
   const offer = v.payOffer;
   const payOpen = v.payCheck !== 'busy' && v.payCheck !== 'failed' && offer?.state === 'pay';
 
+  // Only polled while the registration form is open. At the female seat cap, Female and Others are marked FULL unless the
+  // server says this student keeps them (or until it answers: the server has the last word either way).
+  const seats = useSeatCount(!!v.showSeats);
+  const femaleFull = !!seats?.femaleFull;
+  const femaleAccess = useFemaleAccess(femaleFull, v.user?.id, !!v.showSeats);
+  const genderCapped = femaleFull && femaleAccess !== true;
+  const genderFieldset = useRef<HTMLFieldSetElement>(null);
+  // A disabled radio that was already chosen still counts as chosen, so clear it once it's known to be closed to them.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!femaleFull || femaleAccess !== false) return;
+    genderFieldset.current?.querySelectorAll<HTMLInputElement>('input:disabled').forEach((input) => {
+      input.checked = false;
+    });
+  }, [femaleFull, femaleAccess]);
+
   return (
     <>
       <div data-auth-root="" aria-hidden={v.authHidden} style={{ position: "fixed", inset: "0", zIndex: "62", visibility: "hidden", pointerEvents: "none" }}>
@@ -109,7 +125,7 @@ export default function AuthOverlay({ v }: { v: V }) {
               <div data-a-in="">
                 <h2 data-m-in="" style={{ margin: "0", fontFamily: "var(--font-display)", fontWeight: "400", fontSize: "var(--auth-title-size)", lineHeight: ".98", letterSpacing: ".01em", textWrap: "balance" }}>{v.authTitle}</h2>
                 <p data-m-in="" style={{ margin: "18px 0 0", maxWidth: "34ch", fontSize: "clamp(15px,1.2vw,18px)", lineHeight: "1.55", color: "rgba(236,232,223,.78)", textWrap: "pretty" }}>{v.authSub}</p>
-                {v.showSeats ? <SeatCounter /> : null}
+                {v.showSeats ? <SeatCounter seats={seats} /> : null}
               </div>
               <ol data-a-in="" aria-label="Registration progress" style={{ display: "none", flexDirection: "column", margin: "0", padding: "0", listStyle: "none" }}>
                 {v.prog.map((p, pI) => (
@@ -160,17 +176,20 @@ export default function AuthOverlay({ v }: { v: V }) {
                         <input name="name" defaultValue={v.regVals.name} autoComplete="name" placeholder="As on your college ID" aria-invalid={v.inv.name} style={{ height: "54px", padding: "0 16px", borderRadius: "0", background: "rgba(236,232,223,.04)", fontSize: "16px", color: "#ECE8DF", outline: "none", transition: "border-color .3s,background-color .3s", border: `1.5px solid ${v.bc.name}` }} style-focus="border-color:oklch(0.78 0.075 85);background:rgba(236,232,223,.08)" />
                         {v.err.name ? (<span role="alert" style={{ fontSize: "14px", lineHeight: "1.4", color: "oklch(0.76 0.14 35)" }}>{v.err.name}</span>) : null}
                       </label>
-                      <fieldset data-s-in="" aria-invalid={v.inv.gender} style={{ display: "flex", flexDirection: "column", gap: "8px", margin: "0", padding: "0", border: "0", minWidth: "0" }}>
+                      <fieldset ref={genderFieldset} data-s-in="" aria-invalid={v.inv.gender} style={{ display: "flex", flexDirection: "column", gap: "8px", margin: "0", padding: "0", border: "0", minWidth: "0" }}>
                         <legend style={{ padding: "0", marginBottom: "8px", fontSize: "12px", fontWeight: "700", letterSpacing: ".16em", color: "rgba(236,232,223,.86)" }}>GENDER</legend>
                         <span role="radiogroup" aria-label="Gender" style={{ display: "grid", gridTemplateColumns: "repeat(3,minmax(0,1fr))", gap: "8px" }}>
-                          {v.genderOptions.map((g) => (
-                            <label key={g.value} style={{ display: "flex", alignItems: "center", justifyContent: "center", gap: "10px", minHeight: "54px", padding: "0 12px", border: `1.5px solid ${v.bc.gender}`, background: "rgba(236,232,223,.04)", fontSize: "15px", fontWeight: "500", color: "#ECE8DF", cursor: "pointer", transition: "border-color .3s,background-color .3s" }} style-hover="border-color:oklch(0.78 0.075 85)">
-                              <input type="radio" name="gender" value={g.value} defaultChecked={v.regVals.gender === g.value} style={{ width: "16px", height: "16px", margin: "0", accentColor: "oklch(0.78 0.075 85)", cursor: "pointer" }} />
+                          {genderChoices(v.genderOptions, genderCapped).map((g) => (
+                            <label key={g.value} style={{ display: "flex", flexWrap: "wrap", alignItems: "center", justifyContent: "center", gap: "4px 10px", minHeight: "54px", padding: "6px 12px", border: `1.5px solid ${g.full ? "rgba(236,232,223,.16)" : v.bc.gender}`, background: g.full ? "transparent" : "rgba(236,232,223,.04)", fontSize: "15px", fontWeight: "500", color: g.full ? "rgba(236,232,223,.5)" : "#ECE8DF", cursor: g.full ? "not-allowed" : "pointer", transition: "border-color .3s,background-color .3s" }} style-hover={g.full ? undefined : "border-color:oklch(0.78 0.075 85)"}>
+                              <input type="radio" name="gender" value={g.value} disabled={g.full} defaultChecked={!g.full && v.regVals.gender === g.value} style={{ width: "16px", height: "16px", margin: "0", accentColor: "oklch(0.78 0.075 85)", cursor: g.full ? "not-allowed" : "pointer" }} />
                               {g.label}
+                              {g.full ? <span style={{ fontSize: "11px", fontWeight: "700", letterSpacing: ".12em", color: "oklch(0.76 0.14 35)" }}>FULL</span> : null}
                             </label>
                           ))}
                         </span>
-                        {v.err.gender ? (<span role="alert" style={{ fontSize: "14px", lineHeight: "1.4", color: "oklch(0.76 0.14 35)" }}>{v.err.gender}</span>) : null}
+                        {genderCapped ? (<span role="status" style={{ fontSize: "14px", lineHeight: "1.45", color: "rgba(236,232,223,.86)" }}>{FEMALE_SEATS_FULL_MESSAGE}</span>) : null}
+                        {/* Not the cap's message a second time: a stale form can get it from the server before its next refresh. */}
+                        {v.err.gender && !(genderCapped && v.err.gender === FEMALE_SEATS_FULL_MESSAGE) ? (<span role="alert" style={{ fontSize: "14px", lineHeight: "1.4", color: "oklch(0.76 0.14 35)" }}>{v.err.gender}</span>) : null}
                       </fieldset>
                       <label data-s-in="" style={{ display: "flex", flexDirection: "column", gap: "8px" }}>
                         <span style={{ fontSize: "12px", fontWeight: "700", letterSpacing: ".16em", color: "rgba(236,232,223,.86)" }}>COLLEGE NAME</span>
@@ -211,9 +230,9 @@ export default function AuthOverlay({ v }: { v: V }) {
                       </label>
                       <label data-s-in="" style={{ display: "flex", flexDirection: "column", gap: "8px" }}>
                         <span style={{ fontSize: "12px", fontWeight: "700", letterSpacing: ".16em", color: "rgba(236,232,223,.86)" }}>
-                          COLLEGE ROLL / ENROLLMENT NUMBER
+                          COLLEGE ROLL / ENROLLMENT NUMBER / EMPLOYEE ID
                         </span>
-                        <input name="enrollment_no" defaultValue={v.regVals.enrollment_no} autoComplete="off" required placeholder="Your college roll / enrollment number" aria-invalid={v.inv.enrollment_no} style={{ height: "54px", padding: "0 16px", borderRadius: "0", background: "rgba(236,232,223,.04)", fontSize: "16px", color: "#ECE8DF", outline: "none", transition: "border-color .3s,background-color .3s", border: `1.5px solid ${v.bc.enrollment_no}` }} style-focus="border-color:oklch(0.78 0.075 85);background:rgba(236,232,223,.08)" />
+                        <input name="enrollment_no" defaultValue={v.regVals.enrollment_no} autoComplete="off" required placeholder="Your roll / enrollment number or employee ID"aria-invalid={v.inv.enrollment_no} style={{ height: "54px", padding: "0 16px", borderRadius: "0", background: "rgba(236,232,223,.04)", fontSize: "16px", color: "#ECE8DF", outline: "none", transition: "border-color .3s,background-color .3s", border: `1.5px solid ${v.bc.enrollment_no}` }} style-focus="border-color:oklch(0.78 0.075 85);background:rgba(236,232,223,.08)" />
                         {v.err.enrollment_no ? (<span role="alert" style={{ fontSize: "14px", lineHeight: "1.4", color: "oklch(0.76 0.14 35)" }}>{v.err.enrollment_no}</span>) : null}
                       </label>
                       <div style={{ display: "flex", flexDirection: "column", gap: "10px" }}>