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Journalism of Courage
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.
The commissioner also requested the social media users to refrain from spreading misleading messages.
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.
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.”
