After Karnataka, now Tamil Nadu says 'no' to NEP, will implement state education policy

Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar on Wednesday, May 31 stated that the Congress government will soon introduce State Education Policy (SEP) in the state. Responding to the same, Tamil Nadu’s Minister for Higher Education Dr K Ponmudy said, “Not only Karnataka, in the course of time all the states will agree with our Chief Minister’s opinion that education should be the policy of the state government.”

“Within 4 months, they will give their report about SEP and we will implement it immediately,” added the TN Higher Education minister. 

Congress’ big no to National Education Policy

While speaking to the news agency ANI, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said, “We have come out with a manifesto, Karnataka will have a State Education Policy, and there will be no Nagpur Education Policy, we will discuss this in length and breadth."

"Karnataka is committed, whatever the policy we had these days and make Karnataka the country’s very sound education.” 

Shivakumar's comments came after numerous notable writers and academics urged the newly formed government to repeal the New Education Policy (NEP) and modify school textbooks revised during the previous BJP regime. 

DMK-led Tamil Nadu government is all against NEP 

The DMK-led Tamil Nadu government has been staunchly opposed to the implementation of the NEP, as well as the three-language policy. Since 1967, Tamil Nadu has maintained a two-language policy of English and Tamil. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin announced the formation of a high-level committee to develop a state education strategy after forming the cabinet in May 2021.

According to Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin, the opposition to National Education Policy (NEP) comes because it alienates students from education. “We oppose it because it is not a stepping stone but a stumbling block. It’s a great injustice of the century,” Stalin said while speaking to news agency PTI. “We are resisting because we are a society which fought for the right to education. The Tamil community fought for self-respect.”