Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin will on Friday unveil the State Education Policy (SEP) at the Anna Centenary Library Auditorium in Kotturpuram, marking a significant step in the state’s education roadmap.
The SEP, formulated by a committee chaired by retired High Court judge Justice D. Murugesan and submitted in 2024, has been awaiting release for several months. The policy’s launch comes against the backdrop of the state’s strong opposition to the National Education Policy (NEP) introduced by the Centre, which the DMK-led government has branded as “anti–social justice” and an attempt to impose Hindi.
Tamil Nadu has consistently refused to implement the NEP, and in May this year, the state government approached the Supreme Court alleging that nearly ₹2,200 crore in central education funds were being withheld due to its non-adoption of the policy.
In its plea, the state contended that funds under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme had been unlawfully tied to the NEP and the PM SHRI Schools Scheme, terming the linkage “unconstitutional, arbitrary, and illegal.” The government argued that the PM SHRI Schools’ MoU mandates full NEP-2020 implementation, including the contentious three-language formula in Clause 4.13, which Tamil Nadu has vociferously opposed.
Tamil Nadu has sought the release of ₹2,291.30 crore from the Centre, along with 6% annual interest on ₹2,151.59 crore from May 1 until settlement. The state also wants the court to ensure timely disbursement of the Centre’s 60% share of education grants, as required under the Right to Education Act, before the start of each academic year.
