Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister KP Anbazhagan has written to the Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal on Monday, insisting that the state will continue to follow the two language policy, as opposed to the recommendations in the New Education Policy 2020. The state government has told the Centre that Tamil Nadu's two language policy has been a success and that it will continue with the same in the future.
The two page letter sent to the Union Minister was based on a discussion between Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and senior ministers of the state. It states that following detailed deliberations on the New Education Policy, the state government has appointed a seven-member committee chaired by the principal secretary to the Higher Education Department to go through the policy and offer their comments and recommendations that could be adopted by the state. Ahead of this, however, the state government chose to share their initial remarks with the Centre.
Amongst these remarks was the state's take on the three language policy proposed by the Union Ministry for Education.
"The NEP 2020 also envisages that the Higher Education Institutions should offer degree courses in regional languages, which is already being followed in the state of Tamil Nadu. The state of Tamil Nadu has always followed the '2 language policy' which has been a success. The state government of Tamil Nadu has already taken a decision to continue with the '2 language policy' in future also(sic)," states the letter.
The government's firm decision on this matter comes following criticism against NEP 2020 and allegations that the language policy could lead to imposition of Hindi in the state.
In addition to the language policy, the minister also discusses other aspects of the NEP 2020. He points out that it envisages to achieve the target of 50% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) by the year 2035. But the state of Tamil Nady, he says, can achieve this target by the end of the current academic year itself.
"We have taken various measures by opening new colleges, introducing new courses, increasing the capacity of colleges by recruiting teachers, creating labs and other facilities and would continue to do the same and by 2035, Tamil can achieve an ambitious target of 65% GER," states the minister.
He also writes that the teacher to student ratio in the state is 1:17 as opposed to the All India ratio of 1:26. The Tamil Nadu government also welcomed the move to convert the Bachelor of Education programme into a four year integrated degree course including two major subjects.
"This is a welcome measure, as it will enable the students to complete the degree early and enter into the teaching profession quickly," the letter states.
The state government has, however, opined against the proposal for the National Testing Agency (NTA) to conduct entrance examinations.
"This move would discourage rural students and the government of Tamil Nadu is not for the proposal. Further this will be an added burden on the students," the Minister states.