The Kerala Department of Education has suspended a school teacher due to a question posed during a quiz concerning the Hindu thinker Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, who was described as a freedom fighter who received the most punishments from the British.
This question was used in the materials for the 'Social Science Club Freedom Quiz 2026' in schools in the Kasaragod district. The Director of General Education, Snehil Kumar Singh, issued an order for the immediate suspension of teacher Guru Prasad from the private upper primary school (AUPS) Pallathadka, located in the Kumbla sub-district, Kasaragod.
According to the order, this decision was made based on a report submitted following an investigation into the dispute by the Deputy Director of Education of Kasaragod. Officials stated that on August 6, the 'Social Science Club Freedom Quiz 2026' was conducted at the school level in the schools of the Kumbla and Manjeshwar sub-districts for students of primary, middle, and high grades.
The quiz materials for the lower primary section included 15 questions and five additional questions to determine the winner. Officials reported that the fifth question read: 'Which freedom fighter received the most punishments from the British?', and the answer given was the name of V.D. Savarkar.
This question and answer sparked controversy and mass protests, leading educational authorities to launch an inquiry. CPI(M) and left student organizations criticized the situation, accusing the Congress-led UDF government of promoting the Sangh family agenda in education.
Senior CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan accused the UDF government of colluding with the RSS and stated that attempts are being made to conceal Savarkar's true history and glorify him.
As per the order from the Director of General Education, the quiz materials were prepared by a team of teachers under the guidance of Guru Prasad. The Deputy Director of Education recommended disciplinary action against the responsible teachers after the investigation was completed. The Department of General Education also instructed the school director to initiate internal disciplinary proceedings against Guru Prasad in accordance with Kerala education rules. The Department directed a detailed investigation into the matter and tasked the Deputy Director of Education with submitting a report on the measures taken after the necessary procedures were completed.
