'Don't Create Fear Psychosis': Pradhan Attacks Stalin Govt, Says Tamil Enrolment Declining In TN Schools

<p data-start="0" data-end="269">After the criticism from the opposition, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday lashed out at the Tamil Nadu government regarding his stand on the new National Education Policy (NEP), accusing it of fostering unnecessary fear about the three-language formula while failing to actively promote Tamil in the state.</p> <p data-start="271" data-end="645">The criticism against him followed after his remarks in the Lok Sabha on Monday, where he accused the Tamil Nadu government of being &ldquo;dishonest&rdquo; and performing a U-turn on implementing the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme. This statement triggered protests from DMK members, who claimed Pradhan had insulted Tamil Nadu. In response, the minister later withdrew the remarks.</p> <p data-start="647" data-end="1040">On Tuesday, Pradhan defended his stance on social media platform X, maintaining that Tamil Nadu had indeed reversed its position on the PM SHRI scheme. He alleged that the DMK-led government was attempting to gain political advantage by opposing the policy. Pradhan further accused the DMK of hypocrisy, claiming their recent objections to the three-language formula reflected their "hypocrisy".</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">DMK&rsquo;s latest cacophony on language imposition and its stance on NEP&rsquo;s three-language formula exposes their hypocrisy. Opposition to NEP 2020 has nothing to do with preservation of Tamil pride, language and culture but everything to do with gaining political dividends. <br /><br />DMK bats&hellip;</p> &mdash; Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) <a href="https://twitter.com/dpradhanbjp/status/1899471153560690754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <p> <script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" async="" charset="utf-8"></script> </p> <p data-start="1042" data-end="1508">He claimed that Tamil language usage was declining in Tamil Nadu's government schools, while the preference for English was rising. Later, Pradhan in the post on X claimed that 67 per cent of students in Tamil Nadu are now enrolled in English medium schools, with Tamil medium enrolment dropping from 54 per cent in 2018-19 to 36 per cent in 2023-24. He noted a decrease of 7.3 lakh students in Tamil medium enrolment across government-aided schools, underscoring a significant shift in language preference.</p> <p>He urged the DMK government to embrace multilingualism to align with the demands of the global trend, and he also appealed to it to ponder upon the interests of the students of the state before prioritising the implementation of the NEP.</p> <p data-start="1677" data-end="2023">While speaking in the Rajya Sabha during a debate on the performance of the Education Ministry, Pradhan emphasised Tamil Nadu&rsquo;s importance as a driving force for national growth. He expressed concern that Tamil Nadu&rsquo;s youth should not miss out on development opportunities and stated he was prepared to face any personal criticism from the DMK government, according to PTI.</p> <h2 data-start="1677" data-end="2023">Nobody Is Imposing Anything On Anyone: Dharmendra Pradhan On NEP</h2> <p data-start="2025" data-end="2340" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">Pradhan concluded by asserting that while Tamil Nadu students increasingly prefer English, the state government continues to challenge the three-language policy. He reaffirmed the Centre's commitment to promoting Tamil language and culture, stating his government does not need validation from others on this front.</p> <p>"Nobody is imposing anything on anyone. This is a democratic society and the order of the time is you have to be multilingual," Pradhan said.</p> <p>Adding that he is proud of Tamil for being an ancient language, but he questioned regarding the Tamil Nadu government's opposition to the NEP. "I am proud of the Tamil language. What is your opposition to NEP? It is advocating that the medium of instruction till class 5 should be Tamil language. We are promoting Sengol and that is our understanding of the Tamil language," Pradhan said.</p> <p>"Don't create fear psychosis. Nobody is imposing anything on you," Pradhan said while urging the state government not to deprive the youth of the NEP.</p> <p>"In Tamil Nadu, the medium of instruction should be Tamil. This is in NEP. I am not against English. The student has to go to the international market. They must learn and understand English as we have to compete globally. But, for critical understanding, the mother tongue is primary and that is the primary precondition of national education policy. Up to 5th standard, mother tongue orientation education is a must, and that is what NEP says," the minister stated.</p> <p>He mentioned that under the NEP, students have the freedom to choose Tamil as a subject starting from Class 8 if they wish to do so. &nbsp;</p> <p>Pradhan pointed out that despite some individuals in Tamil Nadu promoting the two-language formula, Tamil language enrolment is declining in the state's government schools, while the use of English, a colonial language, is rising. He described this trend as concerning and urged people not to create unnecessary fear, emphasising that no language is being imposed. He clarified that his remarks were not intended to offend anyone. &nbsp;</p> <p>Addressing Tamil Nadu leaders, Pradhan said, "Let them criticise me personally. Today, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister claimed that PM SHRI is about promoting Sanskrit. Our goal is to elevate India to greater heights, and we will advance the nation with Tamil Nadu playing a significant role."</p> <p>Launching an attack on the DMK government, he said: "You cannot make a fool of Tamil Nadu people. I am ready to accept but don't deny the opportunity for youngsters of Tamil Nadu. Don't be so sematic, don't be so small. Please come out of old ideas. We all have to create a new country."</p> <p>Later in a post on X, Pradhan added that "DMK&rsquo;s latest cacophony on language imposition and its stance on NEP&rsquo;s three-language formula exposes their hypocrisy."</p> <p>"Opposition to NEP 2020 has nothing to do with preservation of Tamil pride, language and culture but everything to do with gaining political dividends. DMK bats for promotion of Tamil language. But, the truth is that they have done little to promote and preserve Tamil language, literature and literary icons," he said.</p> <p>The Tamil Nadu government and the central government have been in conflict over the implementation of the new National Education Policy and its proposed three-language formula.</p> <p><strong>ALSO READ | <a title="" href="https://ift.tt/IGMno3h" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-toggle="tooltip" data-html="true" data-original-title="Story ID: 1756645" aria-describedby="tooltip894524"> Dharmendra Pradhan Hits Out At Stalin-Led TN Govt In Parliament, Sparks Protest</a></strong></p>

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