Tamil Nadu can't oppose NEP and still expect SSA funds: Pradhan

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu can't expect the Centre to relent on Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan funding while stubbornly refusing to accept the National Education Policy (NEP), Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Sunday while accusing the DMK govt of "imposing its political priorities" on students by sticking to its two-language formula.

"I have said this repeatedly in the state, and also in the Parliament, that our country has adopted NEP. We have to go by that. You have to accept the MoU offered by the Union govt. We are ready to cooperate (by releasing funds), but cooperation has to be mutual," Pradhan told reporters on the sidelines of an event at IIT Madras .

He said the Union govt wasn't imposing any language on the state. "I want to clarify - students wish to choose a third language."

The minister argued that only 10% of India's population spoke English, yet nobody was opposed to it.

"When you can learn English, what's wrong in learning another Indian language?" He alleged that DMK's two-language policy was "creating fear psychosis" in Tamil Nadu.

Pradhan said it was wrong to assume the Centre had stopped funding education in the state, citing uninterrupted allocations for all schemes other than for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. "Funds are being released regularly for the mid-day meal scheme. Tamil Nadu is getting funds for its adult literacy programme, too."

At IIT Madras's Dakshinapatha Summit, Pradhan said he wanted to learn Tamil because it was a vibrant language. He said the Union govt was planning to incorporate skill-based learning into the higher secondary curriculum per the recommendations of NEP.

"Education in the past focused on science, commerce and humanities. Now, we are planning to add skilling," the Union education minister said, adding that students would have the option of studying drone technology or AI as part of the skilling curriculum.