Synopsis
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has vehemently opposed the National Education Policy (NEP), warning it could set back the state by 2,000 years. He criticized the policy's language framework and disparities in funding for Tamil and Sanskrit, asserting that the state will uphold its educational principles regardless of financial offers from the Union government.Key Takeaways
- Stalin opposes NEP, citing potential regression of 2000 years.
- Rejects financial incentives from the Union government.
- Criticism of the NEP’s three-language policy.
- Emphasis on the need for equitable funding for Tamil.
- Stalin calls for release of SSA funds without NEP conditions.
Chennai, Feb 22 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin, has firmly opposed the rollout of the National Education Policy (NEP) in the state, cautioning that it could regress the region by 2,000 years.
During a public meeting in Cuddalore on Saturday, he reiterated that the state would reject the policy even if the Union government proposed financial incentives of Rs 10,000 crore. Stalin criticized the NEP’s three-language framework, alleging that the Union government is attempting to enforce Hindi upon Tamil Nadu.
He stressed that his administration would not accept any initiatives that threaten the state’s identity or the status of the Tamil language. Emphasizing disparities in language funding, the Chief Minister highlighted that, despite approximately 8 crore people speaking Tamil, the central government allocated a mere Rs 74 crore for its development. Conversely, Sanskrit, which is spoken by only a few thousand individuals, received a staggering Rs 1,488 crore.
Tamil Nadu has been in conflict with the central government over the NEP, with the ruling DMK party accusing the Union Education Ministry of withholding essential funds for significant educational initiatives. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin reaffirmed that the state will adhere to its long-standing two-language policy, promoting solely Tamil and English in its educational framework.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had previously responded to Stalin’s assertions, accusing him of distorting progressive reforms for political advantage. Pradhan urged the Tamil Nadu government to rise above political conflicts and recognize the potential benefits that the NEP could offer students. The situation has escalated, with the AIADMK, Tamil Nadu’s main opposition party, also supporting the two-language policy.
In the meantime, Chief Minister Stalin has called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release Rs 2,152 crore under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) for Tamil Nadu. In a letter to PM Modi, he expressed strong opposition to the central government’s decision to condition SSA funds on the adoption of the PM SHRI Schools scheme, arguing that these are separate initiatives.
Stalin condemned this move as a breach of cooperative federalism, asserting that such conditions exert undue pressure on states to adhere to centrally imposed policies. He highlighted that withholding SSA funds negatively impacts thousands of students and educators in Tamil Nadu.
Reaffirming his position, the Chief Minister urged the Prime Minister to ensure that educational funding is released independently of the NEP, emphasizing that Tamil Nadu will not compromise its principles for financial incentives.
