Dharmendra Pradhan, M K Stalin in war of words over NEP
The war of words between Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin intensified when Pradhan accused Stalin of attempting to create discord among states regarding the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP).
This accusation followed Stalin’s claims that the central government was withholding funds from states that had performed well but were resisting the adoption of the NEP.
Pradhan addressed these allegations on X, asserting that while healthy competition among states is valuable in a democratic setup, using it to drive a wedge between them contradicts the principles of the Constitution and the concept of national unity. He emphasised that NEP 2020 was developed through extensive consultations and represents a collective vision for the country’s education system.
“Healthy competition among states is always welcome in a democracy. However, pitting states against each other to make a point goes against the spirit of the Constitution and the value of a unified India. NEP 2020 was formulated through a wide range of consultations and embodies the collective wisdom of the people of India,” Pradhan wrote on X.
Pradhan also challenged Stalin’s “principled” opposition to the NEP, questioning whether his objections were related to issues such as education in Tamil, exams conducted in Indian languages, or the development of educational content in these languages.
“Are you against education in mother tongues, including Tamil? Do you oppose conducting exams in Indian languages such as Tamil? Are you against developing textbooks and content in these languages? Do you reject the NEP’s holistic, multi-disciplinary, equitable, futuristic, and inclusive framework?” Pradhan asked.