NEW DELHI: Home Minister Amit Shah called on the Tamil Nadu state government to expand Tamil-medium education at the highest levels. Speaking at a CISF Day event at the newly renamed Rajaditya Chola Recruits Training Centre in Thakkolam, Tamil Nadu, Shah urged the state government to expand Tamil-medium education, particularly in fields like medicine and engineering.
Shah, emphasising the cultural and educational significance of Tamil Nadu, stated, “Tamil Nadu’s culture has strengthened India in every sphere — be it administrative reforms, spiritual heights, education, or national unity.”
He also highlighted the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in enabling Tamil as a language for CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) exams and encouraged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to take a similar step by introducing MBBS and engineering courses in Tamil.
Shah noted that several other states in India had already implemented regional languages as mediums of instruction for technical courses.
“I have been asking for this for the last two years, but to no avail. I hope the Chief Minister will certainly do something now,” Shah said, urging Tamil Nadu to follow suit amidst the ongoing language debate.
It is significant to mention that Tamil Nadu has previously explored Tamil-medium technical education. Under former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi in 2010, Tamil-medium Civil and Mechanical Engineering courses were introduced at Anna University to make technical education more accessible to Tamil-medium students. However, the initiative saw a decline in enrollment over the years, and in 2023, Anna University suspended these courses in 11 constituent colleges due to low student numbers. The decision was later reversed after the state’s higher education department intervened, though the overall response from students has remained minimal.
Similarly, the idea of introducing medical education in Tamil was proposed during the Karunanidhi government but was never implemented after the DMK lost power in 2011. The revival of such discussions, especially under the current BJP government, brings the language debate to the forefront once again, particularly in the context of the ongoing tussle over the National Education Policy (NEP).
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan recently weighed in on the issue, urging Tamil Nadu to adopt the three-language policy to continue receiving education funds from the Centre. He also criticised the state government, accusing it of political posturing and resisting a policy that is being implemented across the country. The state government, led by the DMK, has firmly resisted the Centre’s push for the three-language policy under the NEP, claiming that Tamil Nadu’s linguistic identity must be preserved. Despite the political differences, the language issue remains a sensitive matter in the state, where the role of Tamil as a cultural and educational language is deeply entrenched.