Chennai, June 29 (IANS) To curb caste-based discrimination and violence among school students, the Tamil Nadu School Education Department has directed the formation of monitoring committees across all districts.

According to fresh guidelines issued by the Directorate of School Education, these committees will be headed by Chief Education Officers (CEOs) and will include deputy superintendents of police, educationists, and student protection officers.

The committees are tasked with monitoring incidents of caste discrimination, caste-based violence, and sexual harassment in schools.

They are also required to collect monthly reports from school headmasters and take immediate action on reported issues.

As per the new guidelines, students facing caste-based discrimination can seek help through the government’s toll-free helplines 14416 and 104.

Teachers have also been instructed to educate students about the dangers of misinformation on social media, particularly rumours and false content that could trigger caste-related conflicts.

The School Education Department emphasised that awareness programmes must be conducted in schools to sensitise students against sharing unverified information that could lead to unnecessary tension.

Further, the department has made it clear that school management should not allow the use of institutional properties for events or programmes unrelated to educational activities.

Officials said that the move comes in the wake of growing concerns about caste-related tensions spilling over into school campuses and the role of social media in amplifying misinformation. By setting up these district-level committees and issuing stricter guidelines, the government hopes to create safer and more inclusive educational environments across the state.

–IANS

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