Union govt using fund releases as pressure tactic to coerce states: Tamil Nadu CM amid NEP row

Warning that it could “grossly undermine the states’ rights to shape their own education policies, based on a state’s specific needs,” Stalin’s letter came in response to recent remarks by the Union Minister for Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, who indicated that ‘Samagra Shiksha’ funds for Tamil Nadu would not be released until the state adopted the NEP in its entirety and implemented the three-language policy. Stalin said these statements had “created immense anxiety and unrest among students, political parties, and the general public in our state.

“For many decades, Tamil Nadu has always been steadfast in its two-language policy, which is deeply rooted in our educational and social milieu,” Stalin wrote. “The tremendous strides made by our state in the last half century and its trendsetting initiatives can be traced back to our progressive policy making, built on this two-language policy and social justice. The above would clearly exemplify that any change in our two-language policy is non-negotiable for our state and our people,” Stalin wrote.

Tamil Nadu’s resistance to the three-language formula is not new. The state, since the 1960s, has consistently upheld its two-language policy of Tamil and English, resisting impositions of Hindi as a third language. The Navodaya Vidyalayas, a network of central schools implementing the three-language policy, have not been established in Tamil Nadu due to widespread opposition.

Linking the Samagra Shiksha funds with the adoption of the NEP and the three-language policy, Stalin argued, was a “fundamentally unacceptable” approach.

“The Union Government’s usage of such fund releases as a pressure tactic to coerce a state into adopting centrally mandated programmes against its own time-tested State policies is a blatant violation of cooperative federalism,” he said.

The NEP 2020, which introduces sweeping changes in the education sector, including a flexible curriculum and the promotion of multilingualism, has been met with resistance in Tamil Nadu over its emphasis on the three-language policy. The state government has repeatedly communicated its reservations about specific provisions of the NEP.

“These concerns were formally communicated in my letter dated 27.08.2024, and a detailed memorandum was personally submitted to you on 27.09.2024,” Stalin noted in his letter.

Despite these representations, the funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme for 2024-25 remain unreleased, causing significant distress within the education sector, he wrote.

“Due to the non-release of funds under the ongoing scheme, several vital components towards teacher salaries, student welfare programs, inclusive education initiatives, RTE reimbursements for underprivileged students, and transport for students in remote areas have been jeopardised,” Stalin warned.

The CM’s letter highlighted the critical need for immediate action to avoid further disruption. “In the interest of cooperative federalism and welfare of lakhs of students and teachers, I urge you to intervene in this matter. To dissipate the unrest caused due to this issue, Rs.2,152 crores of Samagra Shiksha funds for Tamil Nadu for 2024-25 may be released immediately, without linking it to the implementation of NEP 2020,” Stalin said in his letter.

The letter also underscored the broader implications of withholding the funds, describing the Union Government’s approach as a coercive strategy that threatens the autonomy of states.