Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin launched the State Education Policy (SEP) on Friday in Chennai. This new policy is Tamil Nadu’s answer to the central government's National Education Policy (NEP), and the state has made it clear that it will not follow many parts of NEP.

What’s in the new policy?

Tamil Nadu’s new State Education Policy (SEP) firmly rejects several key features of the Centre’s National Education Policy (NEP). The state will stick to its two-language policy, opposing the NEP’s three-language formula. It also rules out the need for a common entrance test for undergraduate admissions in arts and science courses, choosing instead to rely on marks from Classes 11 and 12. The policy rejects the idea of holding public exams in Classes 3, 5, and 8, arguing that it could create unnecessary stress for children, increase dropout rates, and lead to the commercialisation of education. Instead, the SEP focuses on strengthening science, artificial intelligence (AI), and English education. Also, it calls for increased investment in government schools and colleges and proposes that education should be brought fully under the state’s control rather than being a shared responsibility with the Centre.

Who made the policy?

A 14-member panel led by retired judge Justice Murugesan worked on the policy. They submitted their report last year, and now it has been officially released.

Political reactions

Tamil Nadu’s Education Minister said all students, even those in CBSE and ICSE schools, will have to learn Tamil till Class 10. He said the policy is completely made by Tamil Nadu and not copied from any other state. However, BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan criticised the policy. She called it a “State Egoistic Policy,” and accused the state of copying the NEP and making education more limited.

Why the centre and state are arguing

There’s already tension between Tamil Nadu and the central government over education funding. Tamil Nadu says the Centre has withheld over ₹2,000 crore because the state refuses to implement NEP and NEET. At the launch, Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin made it clear: “Even if the Centre gives ₹1,000 crore, we won’t accept NEP. Tamil Nadu doesn’t accept any kind of force.”