Chennai: In a significant move aimed at promoting equality and reinforcing the principles of social justice, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced that all state-run hostels for school and college students from economically weaker sections will now be known as “Social Justice Hostels.”
The Chief Minister made the announcement on Monday, stating that under the DMK government, there will be no discrimination on the basis of gender or caste.
“School and college hostels for students being operated by various departments across Tamil Nadu will henceforth be called ‘social justice hostels.’ There won’t be any sort of discrimination,” Stalin said in an official statement.
He reiterated that the DMK government is firmly committed to social justice and inclusion, and that every initiative undertaken by the administration reflects this core philosophy.
The Chief Minister also referred to an earlier announcement made in the Tamil Nadu Assembly regarding the removal of the term ‘colony’ when used in caste contexts in government records.
“Since it has become a symbol of dominance, a symbol of untouchability and a slang word, steps will be taken to remove this word from government documents and public domain, I had announced,” he recalled.
Measures to Prevent Caste Discrimination in Schools
Stalin noted that the School Education Department had issued a Government Order on June 25 to address caste-based issues in schools. The order focuses on preventing communal and caste-based differences and encourages the development of harmony and shared values among students.
He also highlighted the formation of a commission headed by retired Justice K. Chandru, which was tasked with recommending ways to reduce caste tensions in schools. One of the key suggestions was to remove caste-based prefixes and suffixes in school names, which the government has accepted.
Currently, Tamil Nadu operates 2,739 government hostels across the state, accommodating nearly 1,79,568 students. These are managed by the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department as well as the Backward Classes and Minority Welfare Department.