Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday announced that all state-run school and college hostels across departments will now be renamed as ‘social justice hostels’. “Hostels for students operated by various departments in Tamil Nadu will henceforth be called ‘social justice hostels’,” he declared.
Stalin emphasized that under the DMK government, there would be zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind—be it based on caste, gender, or any other factor. Reaffirming the party’s core values, he noted that the DMK has always stood for social justice and inclusivity, and that all government schemes are aligned with these principles.
He also referenced an earlier announcement in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly regarding the removal of the term ‘colony’ from official usage. Stalin explained that the word has historically symbolized “dominance” and “untouchability,” and the government is committed to eliminating such discriminatory language from public records and documents.
This renaming initiative comes alongside a broader set of reforms recommended by a panel headed by retired Justice K. Chandru, which was formed to address and prevent caste-based conflicts in schools. One key suggestion, which has been accepted by the state, includes removing caste prefixes and suffixes from school names.
Following this, a government order was issued on June 25 outlining measures to promote communal harmony and prevent caste-based discord among students.
Additionally, the CM urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to amend SC/ST community surnames ending with ‘N’ and ‘A’ by replacing them with ‘R’, as part of ongoing efforts to foster social equity.
Currently, Tamil Nadu operates 2,739 government hostels, accommodating around 1,79,568 students, managed by the state’s tribal welfare and backward classes and minority welfare departments.
