A directive issued by the Tamil Nadu School Education Department kicked up a storm in the state. Friday’s directive ordered schools to make arrangements for students to watch Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ (Discussion on examination) event, which is to be held on January 16, 2020. Since the day falls during the Pongal holidays in Tamil Nadu, the department has now clarified that students and teachers will not be asked to come to school on January 16.

According to the directive, the School Education Department, the Prime Minister will be addressing the students from New Delhi on how to face examinations, through an event called ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’. The event is scheduled to be held on January 16, 2020 in New Delhi, in which 1,000 students from across the country will participate. The directive ordered schools to ensure that the TV sets and internet connections in schools are in working conditions so that students of classes 9 to 12 can watch the programme live.

However, this directive kicked up a storm in Tamil Nadu since the date of the event falls during Pongal holidays and most students and teachers would be away with their families during the festival. According to reports, DMK President MK Stalin had issued a statement demanding a retraction of the directive, failing which the party will organise protests against this.

Speaking to TNM, Kannappan, the Director of School Education, Tamil Nadu said that the circular did not state that students must watch the speech in their school. “There are many students who might not have the facility to watch videos at their homes. For such students, arrangements will be made in schools. We have not ordered students or teachers to come to school on January 16,” he said. Adding that the same was clarified by KA Sengottaiyan, the Tamil Nadu School Education Minister, Kannappan reiterated that no order has been issued to make students and teachers come to school on that day.