The Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Association on Thursday said the caste surnames of leaders and Tamil scholars were removed from school textbooks in 2019, when a new curriculum was prepared after a gap of 14 years.
In a statement issued in Chennai, P.K. Ilamaran, the secretary of the association, said the books circulated for students were printed based on the curriculum.
Reacting to The Hindu’s report ‘Tamil textbook drops caste surnames of eminent scholars', Mr. Ilamaran said the curriculam was changed when IAS officer T. Udayachandran was the Secretary of School Education.
“Now, changes have been incorporated. But the news has created an impression as if the changes are current, and triggered a debate on caste on social media,” he said.
Move welcomed
The State Platform for Common School System — Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN) on Thursday welcomed the removal of the caste surnames of political and Tamil scholars from school textbooks.
“The State government has done it with the objective of achieving a society aspired by Ambedkar, Periyar and Singaravelar,” said the office-bearers of the platform in a statement.
They also pressed for removal of names denoting caste from schools, colleges and other educational institutions.
“Neither national poet Namakkal Ramalingam nor C.W. Thamodharanar secured a place in history because of their caste,” they added.
