Chennai: Amid escalating tensions between Tamil Nadu and the Centre over the three language formula, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan continued to push for the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP 2020) urging the State to “rise above political differences” and look at it holistically in the interest of young learners.
“It is inappropriate for the State to view NEP 2020 with a myopic vision and spin progressive educational reforms into threats to sustain their political narratives,” Pradhan said in a demi-official letter to Chief Minister M K Stalin, a copy of which he shared on X on Friday.
VIDEO | Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) says, "By not implementing NEP 2020, we are depriving our students, teachers and parents the global opportunity, the pan-India opportunity, rejecting a student-centric future focus policy is really regressive.… pic.twitter.com/vnYV9uXIFv
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 21, 2025
Adverting to Stalin’s letter to the Prime Minister on this issue, the Minister said it was a complete negation of the spirit of cooperative federalism, promoted by the Modi government. “The policy does not advocate the imposition of any language. Many non-BJP states have implemented the progressive policies of NEP despite political differences. NEP 2020 aims to broaden the horizon, not narrow them,” he contended.
The NEP, be believed, is not just a reform—it is a transformative vision that seeks to elevate India’s education system to global standards while preserving and strengthening our linguistic and cultural diversity.
According to him, the NEP ensures every student has access to quality education in their mother tongue, reinforcing the fact that Tamil is not just a regional identity but a national treasure. “Let me unequivocally state that there is no question of imposing any language on any state or community.
NEP 2020 upholds the principle of linguistic freedom and ensures that students continue to learn in the language of their choice. In fact, one of the core objectives of the policy is to revive and strengthen the teaching of Indian languages, including Tamil, which have been gradually side-lined in formal education over the decades,” Pradhan said.
Arguing the three language policy has been the backbone of India’s education framework since 1968, he said it was never implemented in letter and spirit, leading to a decline in the systematic teaching of Indian languages in schools. Over time, this has resulted in an over-reliance on foreign languages, limiting students’ exposure to their linguistic roots. NEP 2020 seeks to correct this historical oversight by ensuring that every Indian language, including Tamil, receives its rightful place in education.
Acknowledging Tamil Nadu was always a torchbearer of social and educational progress, pioneering some of the most transformative reforms in India, he said, however, the continued opposition to NEP 2020 “for political reasons deprives students, teachers, and educational institutions in Tamil Nadu of the immense opportunities and resources that this policy offers”.
“The policy is designed to be flexible, allowing states to customise its implementation to suit their unique educational needs. Moreover, centrally-supported programs such as Samagra Shiksha are aligned with NEP 2020. Also, PM SHRI schools have been conceptualised to be NEP exemplar schools,” he said.
The Minister also highlighted various measures taken by the Modi Government to promote Tamil.