"Knowing More Languages Enhances Employability": Education Minister To NDTV

Countering the Opposition's offensive against the three-language formula in the National Education Policy (NEP), Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has blamed "political positioning" by three states and stressed that NEP does not impose Hindi.

At NDTV's Education Conclave, Mr Pradhan was asked about three states -- Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal -- opposing the three-language formula in NEP. "Three states have resorted to positioning due to political reasons. And the reasons for their opposition are different. Knowing more languages is not a bad thing. It enhances personality and employability," he said.

"In Tamil Nadu schools, English, Urdu, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada are taught. Some schools also teach Hindi. So, what is the objection? Some people have a political grudge. Some emotive issues going back to the 1960s... the conditions were different, they have changed in 2025. NEP is not saying you are bound to study a particular language," Mr Pradhan said.

On the MK Stalin government's allegation that the Centre is blocking funds because Tamil Nadu has refused to accept the three-language formula, Mr Pradhan said, "Your opposition is political. You are depriving Tamil Nadu's children of their rights. The administration is not a dharmashala, it works according to rules and the Constitution. You will say I will run a central-sponsored scheme, but won't fulfill the conditions. This cannot happen."

Mr Pradhan said Kerala's Education Minister V Sivankutty met him recently. "He is my friend. I saw his statement after meeting him. But he told me something else."

In Bengal, a CAG audit found that funds under PM-Poshan scheme were distributed among workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress, Mr Pradhan said. "PM Poshan funds were sent to provide food to children, you use it for party activities. Are the funds meant for your whimsical expenses? We do not harbour political animosity. Several non-BJP-ruled states are benefiting, Telangana, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh," he said.

Slamming the Tamil Nadu government, he said, "We are not saying that Hindi has to be included in the three languages. You have to create an emotive issue, a north-south division, a Hindi-non Hindi polarisation."

The National Education Policy pushes for a three-language formula from Class 6 onwards. The move, it says, is aimed at promoting multilingualism and regional languages. "The three-language formula will continue to be implemented while keeping in mind the Constitutional provisions, aspirations of the people, regions, and the Union, and the need to promote multilingualism as well as promote national unity. However, there will be a greater flexibility in the three-language formula, and no language will be imposed on any State," the policy clarifies.

The DMK government, however, has alleged that the three-language formula attempts to push Hindi in the southern states and has batted for a two-language policy. The Centre has rejected these charges.

Kerala has maintained that while it is open to children learning more languages, no language must be imposed. West Bengal, on the other hand, brought in its own education policy in 2023 that has a three-language formula Class 5 onwards.