Who among the following was the founder of the 'Self-Respect Movement'?
- (a) 'Periyar' E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker ✓ UPSC's answer
- (b) Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
- (c) Bhaskarrao Jadhav
- (d) Dinkarrao Javalkar
Why the answer is (a)
• The Self-Respect Movement (Suyamariyathai Iyakkam) was founded in 1925 in the Tamil country by E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker, 'Periyar', after he left the Congress.
• It attacked Brahminical dominance, caste, superstition and the subordination of women, promoted rationalism and 'self-respect marriages' without priests, and later fed into the Dravidian movement and the DMK.
• Ambedkar led the Depressed Classes movement in western India and founded the Independent Labour Party; Bhaskarrao Jadhav and Dinkarrao Javalkar were leaders of the non-Brahmin movement in Maharashtra, not founders of this movement.
• Hence option (a).
Why the other options are wrong
- (b) Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
- Ambedkar led the Depressed Classes movement, not the Self-Respect Movement.
- (c) Bhaskarrao Jadhav
- Bhaskarrao Jadhav was a Maharashtra non-Brahmin leader, not its founder.
- (d) Dinkarrao Javalkar
- Dinkarrao Javalkar belonged to the Maharashtra non-Brahmin movement.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2025, held on 25 May 2025. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.