Fri Feb 21 11:59:08 UTC 2025: ## Tamil Nadu-Center Clash Intensifies Over NEP’s Three-Language Policy

**Chennai, India –** A bitter dispute has erupted between the Tamil Nadu state government and the central government over the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, specifically its three-language formula. The conflict centers on concerns that the policy, which encourages the study of Hindi alongside Tamil and English, constitutes an imposition of Hindi on Tamil-speaking students.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan wrote to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, asserting that the NEP upholds linguistic freedom and does not mandate any language. He accused the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) of using the policy for political gain, misrepresenting its progressive aspects as threats. Pradhan cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s previous statements affirming the importance of Tamil language and culture, emphasizing the central government’s commitment to promoting it globally. He urged Tamil Nadu to avoid politicizing education.

This letter follows Stalin’s earlier appeal to Prime Minister Modi requesting the release of approximately ₹2,154 crore in education funds for 2024-25. Stalin argued that withholding these funds, allegedly threatened by Pradhan if the state didn’t comply with the NEP’s three-language policy, was coercive. He reiterated Tamil Nadu’s commitment to its existing two-language policy (Tamil and English) in state-run schools, a policy in place since 1967.

Adding fuel to the fire, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin declared Tamil Nadu’s readiness for another “language war,” warning the BJP against attempting to impose Hindi.

The BJP, meanwhile, is launching a campaign in March to promote the three-language policy in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2026 state assembly elections. The party, which has historically struggled to gain traction in the state, views this as an opportunity to improve its standing. BJP state chief K Annamalai criticized the DMK for clinging to an outdated policy.

Tamil Nadu’s resistance stems from a long history of apprehension about Hindi imposition. The state’s education minister argues that the current two-language policy effectively equips students with linguistic and global skills, pointing to the state’s success in STEM fields. The ongoing standoff underscores the sensitive nature of language politics in India and the deep-seated anxieties in southern states regarding the perceived dominance of Hindi.

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