Justice K Chandru Committee Recommends Banning 'Tilak' And Coloured Wristbands In Educational Institutions In Tamil Nadu

In a move claimed to be aimed at addressing caste-based discrimination and violence within educational institutions, the Tamil Nadu government-appointed committee, headed by retired Madras High Court Judge, Justice K Chandru, submitted its report on Tuesday to Chief Minister MK Stalin.

The committee, formed in August 2023 in response to an incident involving assault on Scheduled Caste students in Nanguneri, Tirunelveli, contains several recommendations. Among these, a proposal to ban the display of coloured ornaments such as wristbands, rings, and forehead marks (tilaka) that allegedly serve as markers of caste identity.

"Students should be prohibited from wearing any coloured wristbands, rings, or forehead marks (Tilaka). They must also refrain from coming to school on bicycles painted with reference to their caste or exhibiting any caste-related sentiments. Failure to comply with these rules must result in appropriate action being taken, in addition to advising their parents or guardians," the report states. 

The committee underscores the necessity of enforcing strict rules prohibiting students from using bicycles adorned with caste-related symbols or sentiments. Non-compliance with these directions, the report emphasizes, would lead to appropriate disciplinary actions, including counseling for parents or guardians.

Additionally, the committee suggests a standardized seating arrangement in classrooms across all schools and colleges, based solely on alphabetical order. It further urged educational institutions to eliminate any mention of caste in attendance registers and cautioned against teachers making derogatory remarks or alluding to students' caste affiliations.

In a move aimed at fostering inclusive educational environments, the committee recommends that government schools remove any caste prefixes or suffixes from their names, extending this requirement to existing private schools with similar appellations. Furthermore, it proposes regulatory measures to prevent the use of educational spaces for activities promoting communal or caste-based ideologies.

"The students' attendance register should not contain any column or details relating to their caste. At no point can the class teacher call out students by either directly or indirectly referring to their caste, nor make any derogatory remarks about the student’s caste or the so-called character attributed to the caste," the report reads. 

Highlighting concerns over potential ideological biases infiltrating educational settings, the committee suggested the establishment of an expert body tasked with investigating allegations of saffronisation and activities detrimental to caste and communal harmony within schools and colleges. "An expert body or an agency can be appointed to investigate allegations of saffronization of education and activities that infiltrate educational institutions, hampering caste and communal harmony," it states. 

Addressing personnel matters, the committee proposed periodic transfers of high school and higher secondary school staff to prevent dominance of any particular caste in administrative roles. It also stressed the need for comprehensive orientation programs for teachers and staff on social justice issues, caste discrimination, sexual violence, and offenses against SC/ST communities.

The report states, "Rules relating to Annual Confidential Reports (ACR) must be framed. The ACR for Officers and Headmasters must include a column to record their attitudes towards Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, with appropriate procedures for maintaining these records. A Code of Conduct for teachers and staff of all types of Schools, Colleges, and Universities run by the State must be prescribed statutorily."

As a long-term goal, the Committee suggests that the State must enact separate legislation governing all students, from schools to higher educational institutions, to enforce a policy of social inclusion and eradicate caste discrimination. "This legislation should impose duties and responsibilities on students, teaching and non- teaching staff, as well as the management of such institutions, and prescribe mechanisms for supervision, control, and sanctions for non- compliance with these directives," it adds. 

Furthermore, the report states, "The government must take steps to amend the existing Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975, and insert a provision that a society intending to start an educational institution shall not include any caste appellations in their institution's name."

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