After row over class 6 question paper in Tamil Nadu, Kendriya Vidyalaya says not one of ours

The Kendriya Vidyalalya (KV) issued a statement saying the question paper is "related to a school examination in Tamil Nadu or Puducherry" and not with any of its institutions

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A Class 6 question asked the meaning of the word ‘Dalit’ and listed options included “foreigners, untouchables, upper class and middle class.”

A day after a row erupted in Tamil Nadu over inappropriate questions based on caste and religious stereotypes appearing in a class 6 exam paper, Kendriya Vidyalaya rubbished reports that said the question paper was set by one of its schools in the state.

Kendriya Vidyalaya issued a statement saying the question paper is “related to a school examination in Tamil Nadu or Puducherry” and not with any of its institutions.

Deputy Commissioner of Kendriya Vidyalaya (Chennai region) C Mani said that all the principals of KV schools in the state told him that the class 6 question paper was not from their schools. “I circulated the images of the question papers on social media, including the WhatsApp group of Chennai KVs, following which the principals OF 49 schools responded that the question paper was not from their schools, and even the paper pattern was quite different from the one followed by KV schools,” said C Mani.

The commissioner also requested the social media users to refrain from spreading misleading messages.

प्रेस विज्ञप्ति/Press Release

के.वि. से संबंधित नहीं है सोशल मीडिया पर वायरल हो रहा प्रश्न पत्र

Question Paper being shared on Social Media not related to any Kendriya Vidyalaya pic.twitter.com/ezg9TVzVGu

— Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (@KVS_HQ) September 7, 2019

One of the multiple-choice questions in the paper asked what does the word ‘Dalit’ means and listed options included “foreigners, untouchables, upper class and middle class.”

Another question asking “the common stereotypes about Muslims” had options as follows: “Muslims do not send their girls to school; they are pure vegetarians; they do not sleep at all at the time of Roza; and all of them.”

The questions triggered a controversy with top politicians including DMK leader Stalin, Rajya Sabha MP Vaiko, AMMK General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran, and CPM leader Kanagaraj blaming Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan.

Shocked and appalled to see that a Class 6 Kendriya Vidyalaya exam contains questions that propagate caste discrimination and communal division.

Those who are responsible for drafting this Question Paper must be prosecuted under appropriate provisions of law.@HRDMinistry pic.twitter.com/kddu8jdbN7

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) September 7, 2019

DMK chief MK Stalin said, “Shocked and appalled to see that a Class 6 Kendriya Vidyalaya exams contain questions that propagate caste discrimination and communal division. Those who are responsible for drafting this Question Paper must be prosecuted under appropriate provisions of law.”