The ruling DMK and the followers of E.V. Ramasamy Naicker—referred to as “Periyar” by his adherents—frequently claim to have eradicated caste in Tamil Nadu. They often cite the dropping of caste-based surnames as evidence of this progress. However, the recent 2025 TNPSC Group 1 examination for prestigious state service positions such as Deputy Collector and DSP has sparked controversy, undermining that very claim.
இன்று நடைபெற்ற தமிழக அரசின் கீழ் இயங்கும் TNSPC யின் குருப் 1 தேர்வில் தலைவர்கள் பெயருடன் அவர்களுடைய சாதிப் பெயர்களை இணைத்து கேள்விகள் கேட்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இது மிகவும் கண்டனத்திற்குறியது.
இதற்கு நீங்கள் என்ன பதில் சொல்லப் போறீங்க @CMOTamilnadu ? pic.twitter.com/whfy4tYFl0
— TVK Vijay Trends (@TVKVijayTrends) June 15, 2025
Despite the DMK’s narrative of caste abolition, the examination papers included caste surnames in multiple questions. Ironically, only the caste identifiers of DMK leaders and Dravidian ideologues like C.N. Annadurai and E.V.R. were omitted. Others were explicitly named with their caste titles.
For instance, in a question asking for events to be arranged chronologically, E.V.R.’s caste surname was conspicuously absent, while Subbarayalu, a former Chief Minister of the Madras Presidency, was referred to as “Subbarayalu Reddiar.”
In another question related to the Swarajya movement, leaders such as V.O. Chidambaram and Vanchinathan were mentioned with their caste-associated titles intact with ‘Pillai’ and ‘Aiyar’.
Even more telling is the inconsistent treatment in a question referencing Dr. Muthulakshmi, who dedicated her life to fighting caste and gender discrimination. Despite her advocacy against caste, she was still referred to as “Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy,” while E.V.R.’s caste name “Naicker” was conveniently dropped in the same context.
Another example involves Arcot Ramasamy Mudaliar, a Justice Party leader and a key figure in challenging caste hierarchies, who was nonetheless referred to with his caste title, “Mudaliar.”
Furthermore, the exam papers freely used caste identifiers such as Nair, Chetti, Naidu, and Pillai alongside the names of prominent national leaders—raising questions about the selective enforcement of this so-called caste abolition.
The same hypocrites of Dravidianists and Periyarist ecosystem who created an uproar over a recent UPSC exam for referring to E.V. Ramasamy as “EV Ramasamy Naicker” have remained completely silent when the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) exam included references to several dominant castes in the state. There has been no protest or criticism in this case, revealing a clear double standard.
This selective erasure of caste references—conveniently reserved only for the DMK’s ideological leaders—reveals a stark contradiction. While the party claims to have done away with caste identifiers, the truth appears to be more about political positioning than genuine social reform.
One can’t help but wonder, as elections draw nearer, is the DMK subtly appealing to caste-based identities despite its public posture? After all, when the party first came to power in 2021, it hastily removed caste surnames from school textbooks—for instance, changing “U.Ve. Swaminatha Iyer” to “U.Ve. Swaminathar.” Yet the current trend of reintroducing caste affiliations in official exams suggests a very different, and perhaps opportunistic, agenda.
This hypocrisy from the self-proclaimed caste abolitionists—who proudly label Tamil Nadu as the “land of Periyar” and claim that E.V.R (Periyar) eradicated caste titles—is now being laid bare. The Dravidar Kazhagam, founded by E.V.R. himself, continues to explicitly use his caste surname “Naicker,” contradicting their own ideological stance. Yet, the Dravidian ecosystem remains unapologetic, doubling down and perpetuating these contradictions in the name of their ideology.
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