Stalin asserted that even if the Centre offers ₹10,000 crore, Tamil Nadu will not implement NEP-linked PM SHRI. "If we sign up for ₹2,000 crore today, our Tamil society will be dragged 2,000 years back. I will not commit such a sin," he declared in Cuddalore.Chennai: Stepping up his attack on the Centre for not disbursing Samagra Shiksha funds, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday declared that even if Rs 10,000 crore is allocated his government will not implement the National Education Policy (NEP 2020).
“The Centre says only if you sign up for this scheme (NEP-linked PM SHRI) we will get Rs 2,000 crore. But even if they say they will give Rs 10,000 crore, we will not sign up. What will happen if we sign up for Rs 2,000 crore today? Just thing about it. Our Tamil society will be dragged 2000 years behind. I, Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin, will not commit such a sin,” the Chief Minister declared at a function in Cuddalore district.
Even if the Union government stops funding Tamil Nadu’s schools, “we will continue to run them independently. We will ensure that the education system in Tamil Nadu remains inclusive, accessible, and free from the imposition of policies that undermine our linguistic and cultural identity,” the Chief Minister said.
“I am asking the parents assembled here, particularly the women. Do you want your children’s potential to grow? Or do you want a third language to be imposed on them and their education to encounter hurdles in every class,” he posed after highlighting why his Government has rejected the NEP.
The NEP, he said, is an approach that undermines social justice, equality, and linguistic diversity. “We strongly oppose any attempt to impose it upon us. We do not oppose any language, but we resist any attempts to impose a particular language upon us. We stand firm in our opposition,” he said. “The Union Government’s approach threatens the future of our children. We do not oppose the Hindi language or any other language. Anyone interested in learning Hindi can do so voluntarily in central schools or Kendriya Vidyalayas. Tamil Nadu has never obstructed this, nor will it ever do so. However, no language should be imposed upon us. If an attempt is made to do so, Tamil Nadu will resist it,” Stalin said.
He pointed out the NEP mandates competency-based assessments in Classes 3, 5, and 8. From Class 9 onwards, students will be required to take a standardised board examination, which will be conducted in an all-India format. “This could affect students’ ability to choose their preferred colleges and courses freely, similar to the way medical admissions are controlled through the NEET. These changes are being imposed under the guise of educational reforms, but they ultimately threaten the autonomy of Tamil Nadu’s education system,” he warned.
Stalin said in the past 75 years, 52 languages in India have faced extinction. “In Hindi-speaking regions alone, nearly 25 languages have disappeared due to Hindi dominance. Other states are now realising the consequences of losing their linguistic identity, while Tamil Nadu has always protected its language. Tamil Nadu’s two language policy serves as a model for other states in preserving linguistic diversity,” he said.
