Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s three-language formula controversy made its way to the Parliament, where Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan rebuked its leaders on 11th March opposing the National Education Policy (NEP). He stated that “nobody is imposing anything on you” and added that the Tamil language in the state was “already on the decline.” Furthermore, he provided data in the Rajya Sabha to substantiate his argument about the rising dominance of English and the decreasing prominence of the regional language among the students in Tamil Nadu.
He reiterated the words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and stated that he is proud of the ancient Tamil language. “What is your opposition to NEP? What is your opposition to NEP,” he asked and added that the new policy supports the utilization of Tamil as the medium of instruction up to the fifth grade. He highlighted that the statement “India is the mother of democracy” which is often used by PM Modi is taken from Tamil Nadu. He also pointed out how the “Sengol” was promoted by the government and referred to it as an understanding of Tamil civilization and language.
தமிழக இளைஞர்களுக்கு கிடைக்க வேண்டிய வாய்ப்புகளை பறிக்காதீர்கள். குறுகிய மனநிலையோடு இருக்காதீர்கள். பழைய எண்ணங்களில் இருந்து திமுக வெளியே வரவேண்டும் – மாண்புமிகு கல்வித்துறை அமைச்சர் திரு @dpradhanbjp அவர்கள். pic.twitter.com/Jk9HX17z6N
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) March 12, 2025
Pradhan also conveyed that learning English is important for global competition but stressed that the mother tongue is important for critical comprehension which is a primary part of the NEP. He again confirmed that mother tongue-oriented education is a must till the 5th class. “In Tamil Nadu, it is Tamil, in Andhra Pradesh it is Telugu, in Odisha it is Odia, in Madhya Pradesh it is Hindi. It is preferable until the completion of the eighth grade, after which the student is responsible for the decision.”
Additionally, he asserted that those advocating for a two-language framework in Tamil Nadu are seeing a decline in the use of Tamil in their schools while the colonial language is growing there. He called it an “alarming thing” and told them not to create fear psychosis. He stated, “Nobody is imposing anything on you.” He also informed how other languages including Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Urdu are being taught in government-run minority schools which also follow the three-language formula.
He also shared an anecdote about a young Tamil girl in IIT Kharagpur who learned Hindi as she wanted to be an entrepreneur on the pan-India level. He also discussed how the Tamil Nadu government has approved the teaching of Hindi in the state’s CBSE schools. “I don’t want to offend anyone but mother-tongue-based education is the primary factor of NEP.” Pradhan then also talked about other crucial aspects including skill, innovation, critical thinking and others which are given priority in the NEP.
“I appeal to my colleagues from Tamil Nadu, let them abuse me personally. The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has alleged that NEP and PM Shree (PM Schools for Rising India) means Sanskrit. There are no conditions. We have to take India to new heights and we will take forward the country under the leadership of Tamil Nadu. You can call me a fool but you cannot fool the people of Tamil Nadu all the time. You can scold me and I am ready to accept your insults but don’t take away the opportunity from the youth of Tamil Nadu. Don’t be so small-minded. We have to build a new country,” he mentioned amid uproar by the DMK leaders.
On 10th March Pradhan charged, “They (DMK) are dishonest. They are not committed to the students of Tamil Nadu. They are ruining the future of Tamil Nadu students. Their only job is to raise language barriers. They are doing politics. They are making mischief. They are undemocratic and uncivilised,” in the Lok Sabha while replying to a question on the centre not releasing money for the PM Shri program. Notably, the central government provides the funds after a state signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) committing to implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
“The Tamil Nadu government had initially agreed to sign the MoU. But now they have changed their stand. Many non-BJP-ruled states, including Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, have signed the agreement,” he declared. According to the minister, he was informed by multiple DMK MPs who visited him that the Tamil Nadu government had already approved the scheme. “But when they went back, they made a U-turn. They are doing mischief with the lives of the students. They are misleading the people and doing injustice to the students of Tamil Nadu,” he accused.
He disclosed that MK Stalin, the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, had initially consented as well. “Today is March 10. We still have 20 days left in March,” about the remaining time for the Tamil Nadu government to sign the MoU on PM Shri.
The DMK responded by filing a privilege motion, in which MP Kanimozhi NVN Somu asked Speaker Om Birla to take action. Pradhan’s remarks were deemed “factually incorrect” and deceptive to the house, according to the notice. MK Stalin also attacked him over the same issue.
However, he uploaded the letter from the education department of Tamil Nadu to support his statement and wrote, “I stand by my statement made in the Parliament and am sharing the consent letter from Tamil Nadu School Education Department dated 15th March 2024.” He added, “DMK MPs and chief minister can stack lies as high as they want, but the truth doesn’t bother knocking when it comes crashing down.” He further charged that the DMK was exploiting the language issue as a pretext to hide its shortcomings in governance.
Yesterday, DMK MPs and Hon’ble CM Stalin accused me of misleading the Parliament regarding Tamil Nadu’s consent for establishment of PM-SHRI Schools.
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) March 11, 2025
I stand by my statement made in the Parliament and am sharing the consent letter from Tamil Nadu School Education Department… pic.twitter.com/vp6GtPEp1q
Meanwhile, Kanimozhi claimed that although the state did consent to establish PM Shri Schools, this was subject to committee recommendations. “We agreed on the condition that the government would sign the MoU based on the committee’s findings,” she tried to explain to the media. Anbil Mahesh, the education minister for Tamil Nadu contended that the letter stated that a committee would be established to review the proposal before any decisions. “Those imposing the NEP are the ones playing politics. Tamil Nadu’s education system is exemplary and has shown its capability to shape our students’ futures,” he mentioned.
Bharatiya Janata Party’s Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai has already exposed the hypocrisy of DMK officials over NEP and the three-language formula last month. “They either run CBSE/Matriculation schools, which offer an option of 3 languages or ensure that their children/grandchildren are enrolled in such schools. After securing their children’s future, they go around spreading fallacies and propaganda against the three-language policy,” he pointed out on social media.
More importantly, NEP clearly states, “The three languages learned by children will be the choices of states, regions, and of course the students themselves, so long as at least two of the three languages are native to India. In particular, students who wish to change one or more of the three languages they are studying may do so in grade 6 or 7, as long as they can demonstrate basic proficiency in three languages (including one language of India at the literature level) by the end of secondary school.” However, DMK and its allies want to keep the issue burning for petty politics in the state.
