Tamil Nadu Revenue and Disaster Management Minister K.A. Sengottaiyan on Saturday, 27 June categorically ruled out the inclusion of caste information in the state government's proposed identity cards for students of Classes X and XII, dismissing circulating reports to the contrary as inaccurate. The clarification came amid growing public debate over the scope of data to be captured in the new cards.

What the Proposed Card Will Contain

According to Sengottaiyan, the identity card will be limited to essential personal details — the student's address, blood group, Aadhaar particulars, and educational qualifications. He was unequivocal that caste-related information would not feature under any circumstances, stressing that displaying caste on school identity cards risked creating discrimination and causing emotional distress among students.

The Minister underlined that schools must remain spaces where children learn without distinctions based on caste or religion, and that the proposal was driven entirely by student welfare.

Background and Administrative Context

The proposed card is being jointly examined by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department and the School Education Department. Sengottaiyan noted that the Revenue Department had, over the past five years, been issuing income, nativity, and community certificates directly to students through schools, removing the need for visits to Revenue Department offices, Village Administrative Officers, or Revenue Inspectors. The new identity card, he said, is envisioned as the logical next step in consolidating and streamlining student records.

Officials from both departments are expected to finalise implementation modalities for the scheme shortly.

Emergency Utility of the Cards

Beyond administrative convenience, the Minister highlighted the cards' practical value in crisis situations. Details such as blood group, address, and Aadhaar particulars would enable authorities to swiftly identify students, contact their families, and arrange immediate medical assistance in the event of accidents or other emergencies — a consideration that shaped the card's design from the outset.

Other Issues Raised at the Event

Sengottaiyan made the announcement while speaking to reporters after distributing welfare assistance at a function in Gobichettipalayam, held to mark Chief Minister C. On Joseph Vijay's birthday.

On recurring drowning incidents at the Kodiveri dam, the Minister said the Public Works Department had already prohibited non-swimmers from entering the reservoir area. Visitors may bathe in the downstream waterfalls, but swimming in the storage area above the sluices remains banned. Members of the local fishermen's association have been deployed there to strengthen safety.

Responding to questions about the appointment of Karnataka-based film producer Venkataraman as Tamil Nadu's Special Representative in New Delhi, Sengottaiyan described it as a policy decision, adding that all government-appointed representatives were committed to safeguarding Tamil Nadu's interests — including raising inter-state concerns such as the Mekedatu project and river water disputes before the Union government.

The finalisation of the student identity card scheme is expected in the coming weeks, with implementation targeted for Classes X and XII students across the state.