Tamil Nadu unveils State Education Policy, counters NEP with two-language system

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday unveiled the State Education Policy (SEP) at the Anna Centenary Library Auditorium in Kotturpuram, positioning it as a clear alternative to the Centre’s National Education Policy (NEP).

A 14-member committee headed by retired Justice Murugesan was constituted in 2022 to draft the new policy. The panel submitted its recommendations to the Chief Minister in July last year, and the document has now been formally released.

The SEP will retain the state’s two-language policy, rejecting NEP’s three-language formula, and recommend undergraduate admissions for arts and science courses based on consolidated marks from Classes 11 and 12 instead of a common entrance exam, as per sources.

It also pushes back against NEP’s proposal for public exams in Classes 3, 5 and 8, calling it regressive, anti–social justice, and a potential cause for higher dropout rates and commercialisation of education.

The committee has proposed a big push for science, artificial intelligence, and English, along with substantial investment in state-run institutions. It has also recommended bringing education back under the state list from the concurrent list.

The release of the policy comes amid tensions between the state and the Centre over funding. Tamil Nadu alleges that the Centre has withheld Rs 2,152 crore under the Samagra Shiksha scheme over its refusal to implement NEP.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had said funds would be released only if the state adopted NEET. At the SEP launch, Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said, “Even if they give Rs 1,000 crore, Tamil Nadu won’t implement NEP. Tamil Nadu doesn’t like imposition in any form.”

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