Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India]: A political row has erupted over the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 as Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan criticized its implementation, calling it impractical due to a lack of funding and infrastructure.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Thiagarajan likened the policy to teaching both “LKG students” and “higher education students” in the same way.
Referring to previous language policies, Thiagarajan claimed that attempts to introduce South Indian languages in Hindi-speaking states failed within two decades due to a shortage of qualified teachers.
“Even in Uttar Pradesh, they couldn’t fully implement the three-language policy,” he said. “Yet, they have stopped PM-SHRI funding and continue to speak aggressively, like rowdies. Implementing the NEP today is impossible without proper funding or infrastructure.”
The remarks drew sharp criticism from BJP Tamil Nadu President K Annamalai, who accused Thiagarajan of hypocrisy. Annamalai claimed that Thiagarajan’s own sons studied English and a foreign language yet opposed the three-language policy.
In a social media post on X, Annamalai wrote:
“I asked Minister @ptrmadurai for his response to a question I asked at a press conference yesterday. He said his two sons were educated under the dual language policy. However, the two languages his sons studied were English and French/Spanish. Is this your bilingual policy? We are asking for a national education policy that will provide our government school students with the opportunity to learn a third Indian language, along with Tamil and English, or a foreign language at higher levels. Why all this drama to stop that?”
Annamalai added that students in government schools should have the same opportunities to learn multiple languages as those in wealthier families.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin strongly criticized the NEP 2020, calling it a “saffronized policy” designed to promote Hindi rather than develop the nation’s education system. Stalin warned that the policy could harm Tamil Nadu’s long-standing educational framework.
In response, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan denied allegations of Hindi imposition, stating that the NEP promotes “multilingualism and flexibility in language education” while allowing states to choose their preferred languages.
Pradhan further claimed that Tamil Nadu’s School Education Department had previously expressed consent for the policy. Sharing a letter dated March 15, 2024, Pradhan accused the DMK of using the language issue as a “diversionary tactic” to mask governance concerns.
The ongoing debate highlights the growing tension between Tamil Nadu’s regional political stance and the Centre’s push for a standardized national education framework.