Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin is set to launch the much-anticipated State Education Policy (SEP) today. Created as an alternative to the central government’s National Education Policy (NEP), the SEP comes at a time when tensions are high between the DMK-led state and the national administration over control of education.
The state government, under Stalin’s leadership, has strongly opposed the NEP, criticizing features like the three-language policy and centralized entrance exams. These have been described as “regressive,” against social justice, and an effort to impose Hindi. The new SEP upholds Tamil Nadu’s two-language system, proposes to eliminate public exams for Classes III, V, and VIII, and recommends scrapping NEET, signaling the state’s commitment to educational autonomy and social equality.
By introducing the SEP, Tamil Nadu is reaffirming its dedication to social justice, linguistic diversity, and the right to shape its own education system—standing firm against moves seen as attempts to centralize or standardize education in the country.