Use Of Periyar’s Caste Name By TNPSC In Question Paper Irks Opposition; DMK Demands Action Against ‘Offenders’

The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) on Monday (12 November) expressed regret over a multiple choice question in a Group II examination paper that listed the Dravida Kazhagam founder and iconoclastic, E V Ramasamy, popularly called ‘Periyar’, by including his caste name.

The options given for the question on the founder of Thiruchengode Ashram included E V Ramasamy Naicker, Rajaji, Gandhiji and C N Annadurai.

Leaders of various opposition parties led by DMK president M K Stalin condemned it and demanded action against people involved in setting question papers for the TNPSC Group II exam.

Stalin claimed that Periyar was against adding caste names to people’s names and in 1928, he removed the caste from his name. He also pointed out that in several caste group meetings Periyar attended, he would discourage inclusion of caste names in each person's name.

In a statement, TNPSC secretary and exam control officer, Nandakumar, said that despite the questions being prepared by experts and professors, a mistake had happened in the question on Periyar.

Stating that necessary action would be taken against those responsible for the incident, he said steps would be taken to prevent such issues in future.

A total of 4.57 lakh candidates appeared for the Group II examination.