New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday clarified that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 does not impose Hindi on any state and that Tamil Nadu’s opposition to the policy is politically motivated.
Speaking to Media, Pradhan said, “We have never stated in NEP 2020 that only Hindi will be there. Education will be in the mother tongue, and in Tamil Nadu, it will be Tamil.”
His remarks come amid tensions between the Tamil Nadu government and the Centre over NEP and the three-language policy.
The minister emphasized that NEP 2020 promotes linguistic diversity, ensuring equal importance to all languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Odia, and Punjabi. “A few people in Tamil Nadu are opposing it for political reasons,” he added.
Earlier, while addressing the 126th Foundation Day of Hindu College at Delhi University, Pradhan reiterated the Centre’s stand on the three-language policy, highlighting its significance for employment and national integration.
“The three-language policy should be implemented across the country,” he said. “Given the current social and economic landscape, we need a system where individuals from any region can secure employment.
Experts have underscored the importance of this, suggesting that a trilingual education framework is beneficial for the nation’s social, cultural, and economic needs.”
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday opposed the imposition of a third language in schools, stating that it was unnecessary in the era of Artificial Intelligence.
“With advanced translation technology instantly removing language barriers, students should not be burdened with additional languages,” he wrote on X.
The DMK leader also criticized the BJP, alleging that it insists on everyone in North India knowing Hindi “just to buy tea, pani puri, or use toilets.”
