Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday accused Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin of trying to create divisions between states in an effort to oppose the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP). Pradhan’s remarks came after Stalin claimed that the Centre was withholding funds under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme from top-performing states like Tamil Nadu for refusing to adopt the NEP.
Pradhan responded via a post on X (formerly Twitter), asserting that competition between states in a democracy is healthy but that Stalin’s approach undermines the unity of India. He emphasized that the NEP 2020 was developed through broad consultations and represents the “collective wisdom of the people of India.”
Pradhan questioned Stalin’s principled opposition to the NEP, asking whether Tamil Nadu is against key elements such as education in the mother tongue, conducting exams in Indian languages like Tamil, or the creation of educational materials in regional languages. He also defended the policy’s framework as holistic, inclusive, and multi-disciplinary, aimed at fostering equitable education for the future.
Stalin, earlier that day, had shared a news article on X, criticizing the Centre for slashing funds for states refusing to implement the NEP. He questioned the government’s approach, accusing it of denying funds to well-performing states while rewarding others, which he said contradicts the goal of promoting quality education and equity. Stalin left the final judgment of the issue to the people of the nation.
This exchange reflects the ongoing debate between the central government and states like Tamil Nadu over the National Education Policy, which some states have resisted, citing concerns over centralization and the imposition of certain linguistic and structural elements.
