Put education back on State list, CM tells PM
The Hindu
DINDIGUL
Education is the only asset that can never be snatched away by anyone under any situation. It is the duty of a State government to impart the wealth of education, said Chief Minister M.K. Stalin here on Friday.
“Hence, I appeal to the Union government to support and encourage the State governments by bringing back education to the State list. When the Constitution was framed and came into force, education was originally placed under the State list. It was moved to the Concurrent list only during the period of Emergency [in 1976]. I request that the Union attempt to move education back to the State list,” he said.
He was addressing the 36th convocation of the Gandhigram Rural Institute near Dindigul in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Governor R.N. Ravi, Union Minister of State for Fisheries L. Murugan and Chancellor K.M. Annamalai.
Mr. Stalin stated that there were 22 universities functioning effectively under the State’s control in various departments including arts, science, medicine, agriculture and law among others. “To further strengthen the sector in the State, which is one of the best performing in higher education, the State is formulating various schemes benefiting the student community, including Pudhumai Penn scheme – to promote higher education of women; providing 7.5% reservation in higher education for the benefit of government school students; Naan Mudhalvan scheme and Illam Thedi Kalvi, among others,” he said.
In this milieu, Mr. Stalin sought the Union’s support and encouragement to back the efforts of the State by taking steps to bring education back under the State list.
Spotlighting the connection between Tamil Nadu and Mahatma Gandhi, Mr. Stalin said that Gandhiji visited Tamil Nadu 26 times in his lifetime, and it was in Tamil Nadu where he gave up his formal attire for a loincloth attire. “He even learned Tamil and signed his name in Tamil. He also advocated learning at least one South Indian language, especially Tamil,” he noted.
The Chief Minister noted that the GRI was founded by G. Ramachandran and T.S. Soundaram Ramachandran to uphold the Gandhian principle that states, “When villages develop, the nation follows suit.” He also remembered the patrons of Chinnalapatti, who donated 207 acres of land where the GRI stands today.