New Delhi, Feb 17: The Indian government is dedicated to executing the New Education Policy (NEP) nationwide, stated Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday. He characterized the Tamil Nadu government’s resistance to the NEP as mere “politics.”
Pradhan emphasized that the NEP does not enforce Hindi or any other language on students in the DMK-led state, questioning, “What harm is there in students in Tamil Nadu learning multiple languages?” He noted, “This can include Tamil, English, and other Indian languages.” He assured reporters that there is no compulsion for Hindi or any other language. “Some individuals in Tamil Nadu are engaging in political maneuvering. However, the Indian government is fully committed to implementing the NEP, which comes with specific conditions.” The Central government and Tamil Nadu have been at odds over the NEP’s rollout and the proposed three-language formula.
“The Tamil Nadu government is not adopting the policy due to political motives. To foster competition among students and establish a level playing field, we must find common ground. The NEP represents this new aspirational common platform. I honor all languages. Under this NEP, envisioned by PM Modi, there is a focus on the mother tongue… Tamil is one of our civilization’s oldest languages,” he stated. Meanwhile, Chief Minister M K Stalin accused Pradhan of “blackmail” by claiming that Tamil Nadu would not receive funding until it accepted the NEP.
Earlier this month, Stalin also accused the Centre of “open blackmail” by rerouting Rs 2,152 crore earmarked for the state to others for refusing to adopt the National Education Policy. (PTI)
