'No question of imposing language...': Education minister amid Hindi row
What's the story
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has written to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, asking him to rethink the state's opposition to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
In his letter, Pradhan stressed that NEP 2020 is a "transformative vision that seeks to elevate India's education system to global standards," aimed at modernizing the country's education system.
He said NEP planned to do this by "preserving and strengthening our linguistic and cultural diversity."
Twitter Post
Pradhan's response to Stalin
Highly inappropriate for a State to view NEP 2020 with a myopic vision and use threats to sustain political narratives.
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) February 21, 2025
Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji’s govt. is fully committed to promote and popularise the eternal Tamil culture and language globally. I humbly appeal to not… pic.twitter.com/aw06cVCyAP
Language dispute
Tamil Nadu's opposition to NEP's 3-language formula
The Tamil Nadu government, DMK and its allies, and several Dravidian parties have opposed the NEP's trilingual approach, under which Hindi and English became part of the curriculum for students.
Tamil Nadu has long followed a two-language policy—Tamil and English—and has actively argued that the NEP undermines state authority over education while disregarding people's linguistic preferences.
The NEP, launched in 2020, proposes to improve India's educational system by promoting multilingual learning, flexible curriculums, and skill-based education.
Policy defense
Pradhan defends NEP, criticizes Tamil Nadu's resistance
Defending NEP as a holistic and inclusive education system that gives students linguistic freedom, Pradhan said, "There is no question of imposing any language on any state or community."
He also highlighted initiatives promoting Tamil culture, such as the Kashi Tamil Sangamam.
Expressing disappointment over Tamil Nadu's continued resistance to the policy, Pradhan criticized the state government for viewing NEP through a "myopic vision" and spinning progressive reforms into political narratives.
State autonomy
Tamil Nadu leaders argue NEP undermines state control
The battle over the three-language policy intensified after Pradhan made the release of education sector-related funds from the Centre conditional on Tamil Nadu's adoption of the NEP, including its three-language policy.
In response, Stalin said Pradhan was attempting to "blackmail" the state into surrendering to 'Hindi imposition' by halting the transfer of funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme.
Twitter Post
Stalin writes to PM over fund halting
மாண்புமிகு பிரதமர் @narendramodi அவர்களே…#NEP2020-ஐ முழுமையாக நடைமுறைப்படுத்தி, மும்மொழிக் கொள்கையை ஏற்றால்தான் எங்கள் தமிழ்நாட்டு மாணவர்களுக்கான #SamagraShiksha நிதி ஒதுக்கப்படும் என்பது எவ்விதத்தில் நியாயம்?
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) February 20, 2025
தமிழ் மக்களின் உணர்வுகளுக்கு மதிப்பில்லையா?
இருவேறு… pic.twitter.com/k1pwb9T6dT
Language policy
AIADMK leader reaffirms 2-language policy
AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami has also reaffirmed that Tamil Nadu would stick to its two-language policy.
Critics argue that NEP indirectly promotes Hindi and Sanskrit over regional languages. They caution that a three-language model could burden students from underprivileged backgrounds.
Tamil Nadu has historically prioritized accessible education through initiatives like Kamaraj's mid-day meal scheme and Stalin's breakfast initiative.