Interview/ Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, minister of education, Tamil Nadu
TAMIL NADU’S RESISTANCE to the three-language policy under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has reignited the debate over linguistic identity. Chief Minister and DMK supremo M.K. Stalin has accused the Central government of imposing a monolithic Hindi identity that threatens regional languages. While the BJP insists that the policy does not force anyone to study Hindi or Sanskrit, Stalin argues that, in practice, these languages are often prioritised. The opposition to the NEP, the proposed PM SHRI schools (PM Schools for Rising India) under its framework and the Central government’s insistence on the three-language formula have sparked a major controversy, with the Tamil Nadu government and the DMK firmly opposing the Centre’s stance. In response, the Central government has withheld Rs2,512 crore in funding under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), affecting the state’s school education department.
On March 5 afternoon at his residence on the Greenways Road in Chennai, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, Tamil Nadu education minister, is busy drafting proposals to be sent to the Central government to resolve the funding deadlock. In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, the minister spoke about the NEP and why the state remains firm in rejecting the three-language formula and the PM SHRI schools. Excerpts:
Q/ You met Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan last year to discuss Tamil Nadu’s position on NEP 2020.
A/ It was before last year’s Lok Sabha elections. The meeting was to discuss the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the three-language policy. My bureaucrats had informed me that if we did not sign up for the PM SHRI scheme, we would not receive any financial support from the Centre. I was quite confident I could persuade him.
The minister welcomed us warmly and spoke to us in a friendly manner. I explained that Tamil Nadu had its own sentiments and could not accept the NEP. I said we were comfortable with our two language formula, and the Centre’s push for a third language felt like an imposition. I told him that our students would not be comfortable with it. The minister asked me to discuss it with our chief minister. I replied that the chief minister would not agree, but I would pass on the message. But the chief minister was firm that we would not accept the third language or NEP 2020.
After the parliamentary elections, I travelled to Delhi with MPs from our alliance partners to meet the minister again. He said that if we accepted the PM SHRI schools and signed the Memorandum of Understanding, the funds would be released in half an hour. When I conveyed it to our chief minister, he asked why they were blackmailing us.
Q/ The PM SHRI schools are model institutions offering top-quality education. What is preventing the Tamil Nadu government from adopting this scheme?
A/ Through the PM SHRI schools, the Central government is pushing the NEP 2020 agenda. They argue that other states have accepted it, but Tamil Nadu cannot, as it clashes with our language policy. We are unique in this regard―only Tamil Nadu has had martyrs for its language.
Q/ But you are not receiving the SSA funds. Won’t this hurt the school education department?
A/ We are talking about education, which is the foundation of our children’s lives. Yet the Central government is withholding funds over this issue. Take the National Disaster Response Fund as another example: after Cyclone Fengal, we requested Rs45,000 crore from the Centre, but they released just Rs300 crore. This reflects their mindset―they are finding ways to punish us because they have lost the last three elections in Tamil Nadu. They do not seem keen on development. According to a recent Central government survey, Tamil Nadu is the top state in terms of reduction of poverty and malnutrition, quality education and economic performance. They praise us with one hand, but withhold funds with the other.
As a minister elected by the people, I visited Dharmendra Pradhan at his home, explained our stance and vision, but they insist we accept their language system and also board exams for Classes III, V, VI and VIII. If a Class III student fails an exam, that student would get two months to pass. Otherwise, that student would lose a year. When the DMK came to power, we pledged to cut the school dropout rate from 15 per cent to 5 per cent. We have achieved that, and the Central government praised us for that. We are excelling across indices, so I don’t understand why they are punishing us. That is why I say it is not NEP 2020, it is RSS 2020. The Central government wants every citizen in our state to align with the RSS ideology, and that is why they are forcing NEP 2020 on us.
Q/ SSA funds amounting to Rs2,512 crore are still pending from the Central government.
A/ The chief minister has said that we are not bothered about the money, but only about the implementation of the policy. We are steadfast in our ideology. Our party, now 75 years old, has seen victories and defeats in elections, yet we are here because of the path laid by Thanthai Periyar (E.V. Ramasamy). We won’t compromise our principles just for money.
Q/ What legal options are available to the state government?
A/ Our chief minister is already exploring the legal options. The assembly’s budget session is approaching, and we will pass some resolutions. Let us wait and see. Even now, I would urge Dharmendra Pradhan not to withhold funds needed for 43 lakh children, 32,000 teachers and other education department staff. Last year, I announced plans to introduce robotics in government schools, but with limited funds, it is run only as a pilot project in five districts. My plea to the minister is not to have any other agenda on the education sector and please don’t block the dues owed to us from the Centre.