Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding the 3-language policy under the National Education Policy (NEP) in Tamil Nadu, emphasizing the importance of creating a “level-playing field” for students across the country.
Pradhan, defending the policy, said, “To create competition among students, to create a level-playing field, we have to come to a common platform. NEP is the new aspirational common platform.” He further reiterated his respect for all languages, particularly highlighting that the NEP, envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, places significant emphasis on the use of mother tongues in education.
“Tamil is one of the oldest languages of our civilisation. But what is wrong if a student in Tamil Nadu learns the multilingual aspect in education? It can be Tamil, English, and other Indian languages. There is no imposition of Hindi or any other language on them,” Pradhan explained.
#WATCH | Delhi: On 3-language policy under NEP (National Education Policy) row in Tamil Nadu, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan says, "…To create competition among students, to create a level-playing field, we have to come to a common platform. NEP is the new… pic.twitter.com/mN6o5GNhgE
— ANI (@ANI) February 17, 2025
He dismissed the criticism from political leaders in Tamil Nadu, suggesting that the issue was being politicized. “Some friends in Tamil Nadu are doing politics. But the Government of India is committed to implementing NEP, and there are certain conditions with NEP,” Pradhan clarified, reaffirming the government’s stance on the policy.
The 3-language policy has sparked heated debates in Tamil Nadu, with concerns about the potential imposition of Hindi. However, Pradhan’s comments aim to reassure citizens that NEP’s goal is to encourage multilingual education without mandating any specific language.