Chennai: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday asked chief minister M K Stalin, who wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the New Education Policy, to rise above political differences, keeping in mind 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 political narratives,” Pradhan said in a letter to Stalin. He said Stalin’s letter to the PM was “a complete negation of the spirit of cooperative federalism, promoted by the Modi govt”. Stalin had on Thursday written to the PM that Pradhan’s comments that Samagra Shiksha funds to the tune of Rs 2,152 crore would not be released until Tamil Nadu implemented NEP and the three-language policy had created anxiety and unrest among students, political parties and the general public.
Pradhan said, “As leaders entrusted with shaping the destiny of our young minds, it is imperative that the state govt rises above politics and prioritises policies that empower our students with knowledge, skills and opportunities for the future.”
“The NEP 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.” Addressing concerns over language imposition, Pradhan wrote: “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,” Pradhan said, adding that one of the core objectives of the policy is to revive and strengthen the teaching of Indian languages, including Tamil.
On the three-language policy, he said it has been the backbone of India’s education framework since 1968. “Unfortunately, despite being part of successive education policies, it was never implemented in letter and spirit, leading to a decline in the systematic teaching of Indian languages in schools. Over time, this resulted in an over-reliance on foreign languages. NEP 2020 seeks to correct this historical oversight by ensuring that every Indian language, including Tamil, receives its rightful place in education.”
Pradhan also said that Tamil Nadu has always been a torchbearer of social and educational progress, pioneering some of the most transformative reforms in India. “It has been at the forefront of movements that shaped modern education, uplifted marginalised communities, and fostered an inclusive learning environment. 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,” Pradhan said.
He also said the policy is designed to be flexible, allowing the states to customise its implementation to suit their unique educational needs. “Moreover, centrally sponsored programmes such as Samagra Shiksha are aligned with NEP 2020. Also, PM SHRI schools have been conceptualised to be NEP exemplar schools,” Pradhan said.
“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 added.