Madras High Court: Tamil Nadu Schools Must Stay Free of Caste, Politics
The Madras High Court on Monday noted that the Tamil Nadu Directorate of School Education has issued a circular prohibiting the use of school premises for caste, communal, or political activities. Advocate General Vijay Narayan informed the court that the circular applies to all 57,671 government-run schools in the state.
The submission was made before a bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan. The court dismissed as withdrawn a public interest litigation filed by former AIADMK MLA V.P.B. Paramasivam, who had accused the ruling TVK of using educational institutions for political propaganda. The petitioner withdrew the case after the court was informed of the new circular.
The circular, issued on July 10, 2026, was jointly signed by the Directors of School Education, Private Schools, and Elementary Education. It was prompted by complaints about individuals using school campuses for religious, political, and caste-based activities. The directive emphasises that school premises must be used strictly for curricular and co-curricular activities only.
The circular states that the primary aim of the school education department is to foster unity and brotherhood among the 1,03,98,748 students from diverse backgrounds studying in these schools. District-level education officials have been reminded that students should never experience discrimination based on caste, community, or political affiliation.
Chief Educational Officers and District Educational Officers have been instructed to ensure that school premises are not used for activities that could create division among students or subject them to psychological pressure. They must convey this message to school principals and headmasters.
Principals and headmasters are required to keep school premises as a pleasant place for educational aspirations, and not allow classrooms, auditoriums, or playgrounds to be used for non-educational activities conducted by outsiders. Only government-authorised birthday or birth anniversary celebrations of leaders are permitted.
