Chennai , July 16(BPNS)

A question for the second semester MA exam of Periyar University on the lowest caste in Tamil Nadu has sparked a major controversy in the state.  The Periyar University has said that it will set up an enquiry committee to look up into the matter.

The question was under Part A ‘ Freedom movement in Tamil Nadu from 1880CE to 1947CE ‘ and 15 multiple choice questions of 1 mark each were set and the 11 th question in this series read ‘ Which one is the lower caste belongs to Tamil Nadu (sic)?

It is to be noted that the university is named after the social reformer of Tamil Nadu, Periyar who was the Dravidian ideologue and whose ideology the basis of the Dravidian politics of the state.

A press statement from the Periyar University said that it will take action against the wrongdoers.

D. Gopi, registrar of the University while speaking to media said: “ When we conducted an enquiry teachers who set the question paper said that it is part of the syllabus. This could have been avoided “.

Social media has slammed the Periyar university and department of History for setting such a question. 

Rajesh Chandran, netizen and a social activist from Salem while speaking to IANS said “ It’s really bad on the part of the university to have set such a question for the History exam paper. They should at least understand that the University is named after one of the greatest social reformers of the state on whose ideology Dravidian politics have evolved in the state.”

AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister, Edappadi K Palaniswami in a statement  said “ Is DMK’s Dravidian politics of social justice now revolving around ridiculing the ideology of Periyar and promoting caste inequality among students through such questions in a semester examination.”