Caste on school ID cards will unleash discrimination, says SPCSS-TN

CHENNAI: The State Platform for Common School System - Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN), a group of educationalists, has raised concerns about the announcement by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister KA Sengottaiyan to reveal students' castes on school identity cards.

SPCSS-TN alleged that such decisions by the TVK government will reinforce caste discrimination and endanger students.

The statement by SPCSS-TN read that the student identity cards in schools, colleges, and universities are traditionally limited to essential information such as the name of the educational institution, course details, date of birth, blood group (for emergencies), and emergency contact information. "There is no necessity to include either caste or religion on these identity cards," the statement read.

The platform noted that caste and religion details are collected only during admissions for administrative purposes, including maintaining records and implementing reservation policies. According to the statement, such information should remain confidential within the institution's administrative records and should not appear on classroom registers or student identity cards.

The organisation further argued that the certificates issued by the Revenue Department are not merely "caste certificates" but are intended to facilitate constitutionally guaranteed affirmative action for socially and educationally disadvantaged communities under Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution. It said these certificates exist to ensure equality and social justice until the constitutional goals of social and economic equality are achieved.

The statement also noted that community certificates issued at the time of school admission are permanent and do not require annual renewal.

Further, SPCSS-TN questioned the rationale for displaying such information on identity cards and asked why anyone scanning a student's ID card should have access to caste details.