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The Hindu

Row over UPSC prelims question paper for adding caste suffix to Periyar's name

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in the civil services preliminary examination question paper on Sunday referred to the caste of Periyar, sparking a controversy. The question read: Who among the following was the founder of the self respect movement? In one of the four options provided in the objective type question, the UPSC provided the answer: Periyar EV Ramasamy Naicker, including the caste 'Naicker'. After the examination, candidates in Tamil Nadu took to social media, as the caste name became a topic of popular engagement online. A post on X said: 'The question was part of a scheme to disparage Periyar.' Several persons questioned the rationale behind asking such a question citing the caste name of a social reformer who led a struggle against social discrimination. They pointed to the announcement in 1929 by Periyar at the Chengalpattu conference stating that he had removed his caste name. However another post from a BJP party leader shared the copy of the Supreme Court judgment on August 25, 1958 with the name of the petitioner Chettiar Vs respondent Naicker and others, stating: 'Totally rubbish to create an issue out of EV Ramasamy Naicker being named EV Ramasamy Naicker in UPSC Question. He called him by the same name as per this case law in the Supreme Court. Secondly his biopic 'Periyar' in Tamil was released in Telugu with the title 'Periyar Ramaswamy Naicker' - why didn't DMK and DK oppose then while using his caste name? Was it not opposed as it served 'commercial' interests? Worthless controversy. . .' Speaking to media persons BJP leader Tamilisai Soundrarajan said it was not right to hold the Government of India responsible for the question on Periyar in a paper set by the Union Public Service Commission. 'The question setter would not have done it intentionally. Probably his name is mentioned in such a manner in books that the children read. It is a pan India exam. It cannot be taken as caste fanaticism.'