Who among the following was the founder of the 'Self-Respect Movement'?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (a) 'Periyar' E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker
The Self-Respect Movement was started in 1925 by E. V. Ramasami Naicker, known as Periyar, a former Congress worker who fought caste hierarchy and Brahmin dominance in Tamil Nadu and later founded the Dravidar Kazhagam.
- ✓ (a) NCERT records that Periyar started the self-respect movement in 1925 after leaving the Congress, and later founded the Dravidar Kazhagam.
- ✗ (b) Dr B. R. Ambedkar is linked with the struggle of the Depressed Classes for political safeguards such as separate electorates (NCERT), not with founding the Self-Respect Movement.
- ✗ (c) Bhaskarrao Jadhav is not credited with founding the Self-Respect Movement.
- ✗ (d) Dinkarrao Javalkar is not credited with founding the Self-Respect Movement.
Remember · Periyar (E. V. Ramasami Naicker) started the Self-Respect Movement in 1925; his later organisation was the Dravidar Kazhagam.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Politics in India since Independence, Ch 7 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- NCERT Class 12 · Politics in India since Independence, Chapter 7 “initially a worker of the Congress party; started the self-respect movement (1925); led the anti-Brahmin movement; worked for the Justice party and later founded Dravidar Kazhagam”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2025, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·