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Journalism of Courage
The Centre will not impose any language on any state, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in Chennai Sunday.
Asked about Tamil Nadu and the row over the implementation of the three-language policy, Pradhan, on the sidelines of the Think India Dakshinapatha Summit 2025 at IIT Madras, said, “No language will be imposed by the government of India on any states. They are politically motivated. They are creating a fear-psychosis in the society.”
He said: “In Tamil Nadu, multi-language classes are already there. Students in primary education…they are learning Tamil, English, Telugu. Three languages. Where is the issue over three languages? It’s your (the DMK government in Tamil Nadu) political stand.”
“NEP (National Education Policy 2020) is not imposing any language on anybody. In class 1 and 2, there will be two languages. One will be the mother tongue. It is Tamil. You can teach another language of your choice. From 6 to 10, there must be three languages. One will be the mother tongue. The rest will be your choice. Many state governments are implementing the three-language policy prior to NEP,” he said.
While the NEP calls for the implementation of a three-language policy in schools, Tamil Nadu, which follows a two-language policy, has opposed it on the grounds that it might “impose” Hindi. Speaking at the summit, he said: “There is no problem in learning multiple languages. I would like to learn Tamil because it is a vibrant thinking society where Sangam literature was envisioned, Thirukkural was written…and a very vibrant and innovative economy. I have to learn Tamil. But to understand, I have to learn my mother tongue.”
