Dharmendra Pradhan Writes to Tamil Nadu CM Stalin On NEP

New Delhi: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has written to Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin regarding his letter to PM Modi on the NEP 2020.

Sharing a copy of the letter on X, Pradhan wrote, "Highly inappropriate for a State to view NEP 2020 with a myopic vision and use threats to sustain political narratives. Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji’s govt. is fully committed to promote and popularise the eternal Tamil culture and language globally. I humbly appeal to not politicise education and rise above political differences in the best interest of our students."

 The letter reads, "... It is imperative that the state government rises above politics and prioritize policies that empower our students. The NEP 2020 is a transformative vision that seeks to elevate India's education system to global standards while preserving and strengthening our linguistic and cultural diversity... A central pillar of NEP 2020 is its respect for India's linguistic heritage."

"The policy ensures that every student has access to quality education in their mother tongue... There is no question of imposing any language on any state or community... One of the core objectives of the policy is to revive and strengthen the teaching of Indian languages, including Tamil, which have been gradually side-lined in formal education over the decades...", he wrote.

"The continued opposition to NEP 2020 for political reasons deprives students, teachers, and educational institutions in Tamil Nadu of the immense opportunities and resources that this policy offers. The policy is designed to be flexible, allowing states to customize its implementation to suit their unique educational needs... It is inappropriate for the State to view NEP 2020 with a myopic vision and spin progressive educational reforms into threats to sustain their political narratives. The letter sent to the PM is a negation of the spirit of cooperative federalism... NEP 2020 aims to broaden the horizons, not narrow them. I would request you to rise above political differences and look into the matter holistically keeping in mind the interest of our young learners", he further wrote.

Earlier, Stalin wrote to PM Modi seeking release of Rs 2,152 crore under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) amid an ongoing language row. Stalin expressed concern over Pradhan’s remarks, which suggested that the funds would not be released unless Tamil Nadu implements the NEP 2020.

CM Stalin has opposed the linking of SSA funds with the implementation of NEP and the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) initiative, calling it 'fundamentally unacceptable'. He also criticised the Central government for allegedly using the withholding of funds as a tactic to force Tamil Nadu into adopting centrally mandated programmes, and argued that it was a direct violation of cooperative federalism.