Tamil Nadu Timeline

LegislationDMK-AIADMK alternation

Equal property rights for women and 30% job quota

· Chennai

Tamil Nadu amended Hindu succession law to give daughters equal rights in family property and reserved 30% of government jobs for women.

In 1989 the DMK government passed the Hindu Succession (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, giving daughters equal coparcenary rights with sons in joint family property. The reform realised a long-standing demand of the Self-Respect Movement and preceded the national amendment of 2005. In the same year Tamil Nadu reserved 30 percent of government jobs for women. Women's self-help groups were also first organised by the state in Dharmapuri in 1989.

Related events

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      The Madras legislature outlawed the dedication of girls to temples as devadasis, ending a long reform campaign.

  2. 1973

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      The first batch of women police, a sub-inspector, a head constable and 20 constables, was recruited in Tamil Nadu in 1973.

  3. 1989

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      Moovalur Ramamirtham marriage assistance scheme

      The DMK government started cash assistance for the marriage of daughters of poor families, named after reformer Moovalur Ramamirtham.

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      Separate 20% quota for Most Backward Classes

      The DMK government split the 50% backward class quota into 30% for Backward Classes and 20% for Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities.

  4. 1992

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      All-women police stations set up

      The Jayalalithaa government opened police stations run entirely by women to handle complaints from women, starting in Chennai.

  5. 2006

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      Professional course admissions law and end of entrance tests

      With common entrance tests abolished, a 2006 law reorganised professional course admissions and brought reservation to private colleges.

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