After receiving backlash and severe criticism for a question paper set for a class 6 exam which was alleged to be set by a Kendriya Vidyalaya from Tamil Nadu or Pondicherry on social media, the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) issued an official statement to clarify. One page of the question paper and the respective portions from the syllabus went viral on Friday.
प्रेस विज्ञप्ति/Press Release
— Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (@KVS_HQ) September 7, 2019
के.वि. से संबंधित नहीं है सोशल मीडिया पर वायरल हो रहा प्रश्न पत्र
Question Paper being shared on Social Media not related to any Kendriya Vidyalaya pic.twitter.com/ezg9TVzVGu
Two multiple-choice questions from the paper had caused a furore: Question 17: “What do you mean by Dalit?” and choices for answers were: (A) Foreigners (B) Untouchables (C) Middle Class (D) Upper class. and Question 18: “What is the common stereotype about Muslims?” and choices for answers were: (A) They don’t send their girls to school (B) They are pure vegetarian (C) They do not sleep at all at the time of Roza (D) All of them.
These questions were said to be based from a class 6 social science textbook published in 2018-19 by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). Both the questions were from Chapter 2, “Diversity and Discrimination” under two subhead - ‘On being discriminated against’ (page 18) and ‘Inequality and discrimination’ (page 19).
What are our Children learning now ?? @sanjayuvacha . This is Class 6 Kendriya Vidyalaya Question Paper !!! Please read it !!! pic.twitter.com/ijdqKrmkvT
— Augustine Varkey (@logicalindianz) September 6, 2019
Kendriya Vidyalaya question paper for class 6! What have we come to?
— Dr.B.Karthik Navayan (@Navayan) September 6, 2019
Source: https://t.co/1cwm5nQ8FN pic.twitter.com/nZ4C1EfclY
Kendriya Vidyalaya question paper for class 6! What have we come to? Don't have hope for the next generation either...
— Mere Achhe Din Ayenge (@VotHardVotHard) September 7, 2019
India kya hoga re tera...Chinta ho raha hai mujhe #Chandrayaan2 tum kya kahoge jab Chand puchega " India Kaisa Hai ?" pic.twitter.com/Yo1kA73KSS
In an official statement, KVS said that no evidence has been found to support the theory that the question paper was from any of their schools. “This question paper is said to be related with some school in Tamil Nadu or Puducherry. However, no evidence has so far been brought to the notice of KVS which may establish that the Question Paper belongs to a Kendriya Vidyalaya,” their statement read.
It further added that the deputy commissioner of KVS RO said that "none of 49 Kendriya Vidyalayas of Chennai Region has prepared such questions/question paper. Moreover, the pattern of question paper in KVs is different from what is being circulated in media."
DMK leader MK Stalin and MDMK chief Vaiko criticised the questions for promoting caste indifference and religious intolerance.
சாதி பாகுபாட்டையும் வகுப்புவாதத்தையும் பரப்பும் கேள்விகள் கேந்தரிய வித்யாலயா 6ம் வகுப்புத் தேர்வில் இடம்பெற்றிருப்பதை கண்டு பெரும் அதிர்ச்சியடைந்தேன்.
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) September 7, 2019
இப்படிப்பட்ட கேள்விகளை இடம்பெறச் செய்தவர்கள் விசாரிக்கப்பட்டு உரிய சட்டங்கள் மூலம் கடுமையாக தண்டிக்கப்பட வேண்டும்.@HRDMinistry pic.twitter.com/TVPaYmOJOQ