Amid an ongoing national debate over language imposition in education, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin formally launched the State Education Policy (SEP) on Friday, marking a significant step in the state’s pushback against the Centre’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The policy was released at a ceremony held at the Anna Centenary Library Auditorium in Chennai.
Prepared by a 14-member committee chaired by retired Justice D. Murugesan, the SEP was formulated after extensive consultations and was submitted to the state government in July 2024. The new policy reflects the Dravidian model of education — emphasizing social justice, rationality, and equality — and explicitly rejects several components of the Centre’s NEP.
A key highlight of Tamil Nadu’s SEP is the firm continuation of the two-language formula, with Tamil and English as the medium of instruction in schools. “Through this education policy, we don’t want students just to mug up, but think and get educated. Physical education will be taught along with academics,” said CM Stalin. “Importantly, I want to say firmly that we will follow the two-language policy. It is our firm stance.”
The SEP’s vision also includes the introduction of smart classrooms, a push for rational and scientific thinking, and a commitment to inclusive education. The Chief Minister said that the goal is to ensure 100% transition of students from school to higher education, a significant jump from the current 75%.
Addressing ideological concerns, Stalin stated, “We will never allow anyone to stop education. We will not allow pirooku (reactionary thinking) in our education. Our policy aims to promote samathuva kalvi (equality in education) and pagutharivu kalvi (education rooted in rationality). This will help our students compete on international platforms.”
The launch of the SEP comes in strong contrast to the Central Government’s NEP 2020, which Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed. The DMK-led government has criticized the NEP’s three-language policy, centralised entrance exams, and early standardised testing, arguing that they undermine social equity and regional autonomy.
In May 2025, the Tamil Nadu government filed a petition in the Supreme Court, accusing the Centre of withholding Rs 2,200 crore in funds under schemes such as PM SHRI, due to the state’s refusal to implement the NEP. The plea seeks judicial clarification that national education policies and schemes are not binding on states without their consent, reinforcing the federal structure of governance in education.
The SEP reaffirms Tamil Nadu’s legacy of educational autonomy, shaped by decades of resistance to perceived cultural and linguistic imposition. It aims to balance tradition and modernity while ensuring that educational reforms align with regional values and the needs of the state’s diverse population.
As debates over educational federalism and linguistic identity intensify in India, Tamil Nadu’s SEP stands out as a model of resistance, regional assertion, and progressive reform.
