Wed Feb 26 03:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Tamil Nadu Protests Central Government’s Three-Language Policy
**Chennai, February 26, 2025** – The DMK-led coalition in Tamil Nadu staged a protest on February 18th against the central government’s push for a three-language policy under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The state government opposes the policy, viewing it as a thinly veiled attempt to impose Hindi, and insists on maintaining its existing two-language policy (Tamil and English).
The dispute centers around the NEP 2020’s three-language formula, which the central government links to the release of funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. While the NEP 2020 doesn’t mandate specific languages, it requires at least two Indian languages be taught. Tamil Nadu argues that this undermines its autonomy.
The article highlights the constitutional provision allowing states to choose their official languages and the historical context of language policies in India. While acknowledging the benefits of multilingualism and the importance of Hindi’s promotion, the author, a former IAS officer, points to significant challenges in education. Data from the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) reveals alarmingly low literacy rates, with a large percentage of students unable to read even at a Class II level. Furthermore, the current expenditure on education falls short of the NEP 2020’s target of 6% of GDP.
The author emphasizes the need for improved foundational literacy and numeracy skills, particularly in the mother tongue and English, and suggests that focusing on these core skills is more crucial than imposing a third language, especially given limited resources. The author concludes by advocating for constructive dialogue between the central and state governments to resolve the funding impasse and for greater state autonomy in education policy.
First Piper 