Mr. Nishank’s clarification, made through a Tamil tweet, comes amid opposition to the NEP in Tamil Nadu, which claims that the policy imposes Hindi and Sanskrit
Palaniswami’s comment comes amid opposition in Tamil Nadu to the NEP 2020, which is being criticised for allegedly imposing Hindi and Sanskrit. On Monday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami expressed his disappointment with the central government’s three-language formula in the recently announced National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. “We are disappointed by the central government’s implementation of the three-language formula in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
After chairing a cabinet meeting in Chennai, Palaniswami said, “Our state has been pursuing a two-language policy (of Tamil and English) for decades and there will be no changes.” “I suggest that the Prime Minister pay attention to the citizens of Tamil Nadu’s unanimous demand that the three-language policy be reconsidered and that states be allowed to make their own decisions. Palaniswami’s comment comes amid opposition to the NEP in Tamil Nadu, which claims the policy forces the use of Hindi and Sanskrit. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), headed by MK Stalin, and several Tamil Nadu opposition parties condemn the new education policy and demand a review of the sweeping changes it proposes.
On Sunday, Union education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said that the NEP would not enforce any language on any state. Nishank made the clarification in a Tamil tweet in response to Pon Radhakrishnan, a former Union minister from Tamil Nadu. “I would like to emphasise once more that the federal government will not enforce any language on any state,” Nishank said. On Saturday, the DMK leader said that the policy was an attempt to impose Hindi and Sanskrit, and vowed to combat it by banding together with like-minded political parties and state chief ministers. V Narayanasamy, the chief minister of Puducherry, has also described the NEP as “chaotic” and said it raises many unanswered questions. He stated that the policy lacks a precise and consistent path for promoting jobs, and that it is also unclear if state governments will bear the financial burden of implementation.
What is true for northern states cannot be assumed to be appropriate for southern states, according to Narayanasamy. He accused the Centre of attempting to “impose” Sanskrit through NEP, as well as fomenting “confusion.” PM Modi had previously stated that the new National Education Policy was futuristic and up to world standards, and that it was designed to realise Dr. S Radhakrishnan’s vision of education as empowering students to participate in national growth. “India takes pride in being the mother of democracy because its ideals are reflected in our social life,” Prime Minister Modi said at the 95th annual meeting of the Association of Indian Universities.
The DMK, led by M.K. Stalin, and several Tamil Nadu opposition parties reject the NEP, which calls for a review of the sweeping changes it proposes. On Saturday, the DMK leader said that the policy was an attempt to impose Hindi and Sanskrit, and vowed to combat it by banding together with like-minded political parties and state chief ministers.
