Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin reiterated the DMK’s strong opposition to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the three-language policy, following Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s statements. Stalin emphasized that Tamil Nadu has historically opposed the imposition of multiple languages and asserted that the state would never accept such policies. He also criticized the Centre for allegedly linking the release of educational funds to Tamil Nadu’s acceptance of NEP, stating that the state was only demanding its rightful financial allocations for students.
In response, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan dismissed Stalin’s concerns, calling them politically motivated and “imaginary.” He clarified that NEP 2020 does not impose any language on states and aims to align Indian education with global standards while preserving regional linguistic heritage. Pradhan highlighted that the government conducts major entrance exams in 13 languages, including Tamil, and pointed to initiatives like the Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre in Singapore as evidence of the Centre’s commitment to Tamil heritage. He urged Tamil Nadu to implement NEP, arguing that rejecting it deprives students and teachers of global opportunities.
The debate over NEP has intensified amid growing political friction between the DMK and BJP ahead of the 2026 elections. Stalin had previously written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, raising concerns over the Centre’s decision to withhold ‘Samagra Shiksha’ funds until Tamil Nadu adopts the three-language policy. Pradhan countered that Tamil Nadu is one of the few states refusing to implement NEP, whereas even non-BJP states have adopted it with Centre’s cooperation. The dispute underscores the broader political battle over education policy and regional autonomy.
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