Tamil Nadu Minister for Social Justice Vanni Arasu on Thursday asserted that the state remains firmly committed to its traditional two-language policy, criticising the central government's efforts to implement a three-language formula. According to a report by the Press Trust of India (PTI), he also outlined the state's intensive action plans to modernise government institutions, reduce student dropouts to zero, and streamline administrative procedures for marginalised communities.
"The Union Government is imposing a three-language formula through the CBSE. As an alternative to counter and defeat their actions against our two-language policy, we have started this year with a vision and a goal to modernise these government schools and provide them with all necessary facilities," Arasu told reporters following an inspection of Adi Dravidar Welfare schools on their reopening day.
Arasu expressed confidence that targeted action plans would ensure that students in government institutions secure marks competitive with private schools. Acknowledging infrastructural gaps between urban and interior rural institutions, the minister said that a comprehensive deficiency analysis is underway.
"A targeted action plan will be rolled out within six months to transform rural institutions into self-sufficient schools. To combat student dropouts, especially at the higher secondary levels, the government has instituted door-to-door tracking. Departmental review meetings are prioritising this tracking mechanism to ensure no student drops out during this academic year," said the senior VCK leader.
According to PTI, the minister also shared insights from a four-day inspection tour across Coimbatore, Erode, and Chennai, where officials evaluated centralised kitchens.
Acknowledging that students had pointed out certain deficiencies in the food provided, he promised immediate standardisation through department-wise action plans to upgrade the nutritious meal programme, the PTI reported.
Last year, on August 8, the then chief minister MK Stalin released the State Education Policy (SEP), presenting it as a futuristic and inclusive framework tailored to the state's social and cultural fabric. Distancing himself from the centre's National Education Policy (NEP), Stalin reiterated Tamil Nadu's commitment to the two-language policy, Tamil and English, rejecting the NEP's three-language formula, which the state has long opposed as a vehicle for Hindi imposition.
Concerns have been raised over the implementation of the CBSE's three-language policy for Class 9 by a section of educationists and parents who have questioned the timing of the changes and the preparedness of schools, as the academic session is already underway.
The CBSE board has made three languages, including at least two native Indian languages, compulsory for Class 9 students from July 1 this year.
