with tamilnadu assembly elections Almost immediately, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announced that it will implement the three-language formula in a phased manner from 2026-27, triggering a war of words between the DMK government in the state and the BJP-led government at the Center over “imposition of Hindi” versus “progressive and inclusive multilingualism”.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin criticized the CBSE’s move, driven by the National Education Policy 2020, arguing that it was a “secret” way of “imposing” Hindi on non-Hindi speaking states without any “reciprocity”. He demanded that his rivals in the state – the AIADMK and their NDA allies – choose whether they would support the policy, or whether they would, “for once, stand up for the rights, identity and future of our students.”
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan hit back, saying the “narrative” was “a tired attempt to hide political failures”. He said it was wrong to “misrepresent” the policy by portraying multilingualism as a threat.
‘Rank Hypocrisy’
Mr Stalin said the three-language policy was “a deliberate and deeply thought-out attempt at linguistic imposition that justifies our long-standing apprehensions.” He said it was being pushed “under the guise of promoting ‘Indian languages’.” Describing it as a “bitter and unacceptable irony”, the CM said: “The same central government that has failed to make Tamil a compulsory language in Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan schools – and has consistently failed to appoint adequate Tamil teachers – now wants to lecture states on promoting Indian languages. This is not commitment; this is rank hypocrisy.”
Mr Stalin said, “The Central government is committed to implementing Hindi, ignoring the legitimate, consistent and democratic concerns raised by Tamil Nadu and many other states.” He described this approach as a “direct insult” to the principles of cooperative federalism and an “insult” to the linguistic identity of millions of Indians.
‘Creating obstacles for youth’
In response, Mr Pradhan said, “By misrepresenting the flexible policy as ‘mandatory Hindi’, you are not defending Tamil; you are creating barriers that deny our youth the opportunity to become multilingual global leaders… Tamil is not weakened by learning additional languages; it prospers when its speakers are multilingual, confident and linguistically empowered.”
Dismissing concerns about reciprocity, the education minister said the argument “ignores the ground reality”. Prime Minister Narendra ModiThe leadership had ensured that Tamil was “celebrated as a national treasure”, and cited the government’s Kasi Tamil Sangamam and other efforts on the global stage. He claimed that the central government “actively encourages students across India to adopt Indian languages,” while the Tamil Nadu government “continues to deny diverse opportunities to Tamil students for the sake of a divisive vote bank.”
The debate continued over the issue, with DMK leaders including Kanimozhi and P. Wilson supporting Mr Stalin’s arguments on social media platforms, while TN BJP leader K. Supporting Mr Pradhan’s argument, Annamalai asked how the policy imposes Hindi on students. However, none of the BJP’s allies in Tamil Nadu were seen jumping into the debate on social media.
ground reality
Criticizing the three-language framework for not “translating effectively into compulsory Hindi learning” in his statement, Mr Stalin asked whether it would be mandatory for students in Hindi-speaking states to learn Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, or even Bengali or Marathi? Calling the policy “ill-conceived”, he asked whether the central government was conscious of the ground reality of “teacher availability, training capacity and infrastructure”.
He said: “This is not just a question of language – it is a question of fairness, federalism and equal opportunity. By structurally privileging Hindi-speaking students, this policy risks creating strong advantages in higher education and employment, further exacerbating regional disparities… India’s strength lies in diversity – not in enforced uniformity.”
Mr Pradhan replied, “The talk of resources is mere lip service. It is the DMK government that has stopped the establishment of PM SHRI schools in Tamil Nadu by refusing to sign the MoU after giving the affidavit.” He also accused the DMK government of hindering the implementation of Navodaya Vidyalayas in the state and said it was giving priority to political narratives over educational quality. The Education Minister insisted that it was due to the DMK’s “dishonest politics” that modern infrastructure and teachers were “effectively stopped”, reiterating his government’s “commitment” to funding and teacher training.
‘Protecting constitutional rights’
In response, Mr Stalin said Mr Pradhan’s comments were “extremely irresponsible and reckless, and reflect a deep disregard for India’s pluralism, federal values and respect for the states.” In his post on Twitter, Mr Stalin reiterated that Tamil Nadu strongly rejects the three-language policy, which he said is not just about opposing languages, but about opposing imposition and protecting constitutional rights.
“Your earlier derogatory remarks about Tamils in Parliament, followed by a belated apology, only underline a pattern of conduct that is unacceptable. The claim that ‘no Hindi has been imposed’ is clearly dishonest. When a policy structurally forces non-Hindi speaking states like Tamil Nadu to adopt a third language with little real choice, and when significant education funds are tied to compliance, it is no longer a matter of choice It is,” Mr. Stalin said.
The DMK president said, “It is nothing short of audacity to illegally withhold a huge sum of ₹2,200 crore under the ‘Samagra Shiksha’ scheme, effectively punishing Tamil Nadu for refusing to impose Hindi. These are not discretionary grants, but funds collected through taxes which are at the disposal of the people of Tamil Nadu, they cannot be used as a tool of coercion.”
‘Where is the true linguistic diversity?’
Tamil Nadu, he declared, will not accept language imposition under any circumstances, whether disguised as flexibility, supported by financial pressure, or presented as national interest. The policy imposes unnecessary burden on students, violates states’ rights and seeks to dilute India’s linguistic diversity into a monochromatic, homogenous “One India” framework, he said.
“In the noise of rhetoric, you should not avoid basic questions. Which third Indian language is actually being implemented in schools in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat? How many PM SHRI schools actually offer South Indian languages like Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, and languages like Bengali, Oriya and Marathi in Northern India? How many schools under the Kendriya Vidyalaya organization are actually teaching Tamil? How many Tamils and other South Indians in the last 10 years Have language teachers been appointed?” Mr Stalin challenged the Union Minister by asking how much the NDA government had spent on promoting classical languages like Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Oriya compared to Sanskrit.
He said, “Your suggestion that Tamil Nadu lacks school infrastructure is equally baseless. We have built one of India’s strongest public education systems through decades of sustained investment, high enrolment, strong learning outcomes and pioneering welfare initiatives.”
Success stories in two languages
The Chief Minister said Tamil Nadu will not abandon its proven two-language policy built on social consensus and strong educational outcomes for a centrally run structure that dilutes diversity, burdens students and weakens India’s federal structure. Tamil Nadu’s language policy stands as a success story on the global stage, with Tamils making their mark in science and technology, medicine and space research. The state’s economic growth and inclusiveness are deeply rooted in this model, he said, adding that the state’s claims can be proven through empirical data, while the Centre’s arguments are purely rhetorical and devoid of any real data in the educational sector.
“It is wrong and dismissive to suggest that schools in Tamil Nadu are lagging behind in modern education. In enrolment, learning outcomes and innovation, Tamil Nadu is leading. Over the last five years, the Government of Tamil Nadu has achieved significant progress in infrastructure and launched pioneering initiatives such as the Chief Minister’s Free Breakfast Scheme, which will benefit more than 20 lakh students. The DMK manifesto for the 2026 elections promises extension of the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme till class VIII, which will benefit an additional 15 lakh students. Students. Public education remains our top priority, not seen as an expenditure but as a social investment generating long-term social benefits,” Mr Stalin said.
The Chief Minister challenged Mr. Pradhan to announce on Tamil Nadu soil that every Indian child should compulsorily learn three languages even while seeking votes in the state.
