‘Samagra Shiksha Fund is not a party issue but a State issue’

Samagra Shiksha Fund dispute in Tamil Nadu highlights State rights vs. Centre's National Education Policy, sparking legal action consideration.

The Samagra Shiksha Fund is not a party issue but a State issue, Tamil Nadu Minister for School Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi has said. His remarks came after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan made the release of funds conditional on Tamil Nadu implementing the three-language formula advocated by the National Education Policy-2020.

Speaking to The Hindu on Monday, a day before an agitation to be staged by the DMK and its allies against the Centre, he said, “This is our right. We are only asking for our money which is for our students. We protested when the Centre introduced Navodaya schools and issued circulars in Hindi. They had backed off [in the past].”

Contending that it was a betrayal that the funds due to Tamil Nadu had been diverted to other States, Mr. Poyyamozhi said that when the people came together to voice their protest, the Centre would back off. “We are only asking for our rights. We are asking [for the funds] for the benefit of 40 lakh students and not to politicise the matter. We hope that the Centre has a little bit of kindness and will give us the funds,” he said.

Recalling the first meeting with Mr. Pradhan in 2024 before the Lok Sabha election, he said the Union Minister was cordial and requested that they speak to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin about signing up for the National Education Policy and the PM SHRI scheme. “He kept asking our officers who visited him every month about the Chief Minister’s answer and by then, the Chief Minister had started writing letters requesting disbursal [of funds]. When the PM SHRI Schools MoU was [proposed to be] signed, dropping the provision for implementing the National Education Policy, it angered the Union Minister. We were then advised by the Chief Minister to meet Mr. Pradhan again with our MPs.” However, the Union Minister, in the presence of the MLA and the MPs, berated the officers for dropping the provision in the MoU, Mr. Poyyamozhi said. “That is when the Union Minister’s tone changed and started forcing us to accept the National Education Policy.”

He pointed out that the State’s opposition was not only to the three language formula but also to the exam pattern for Class III, V, and VIII, and the introduction of vocational training at Class VI. “The Centre’s data have shown that our dropout rate is low and gross enrolment ratio is high. They [the Centre] are focussed on bringing Hindi through a three-language formula. First, it will bring mental stress to the students and they need to learn English properly first because it is an universal connecting language,” he said.

Asked about the Centre’s stated aim to bring about excellent education through the National Education Policy, he asked, “So, where are we lacking in providing excellent education? We know what our students want. Our track record shows it and over 600 students join premier institutions across India and abroad through scholarships.” Noting that the PM SHRI, NEP, and SSA funds are different, he said the payment of salaries to the tune of ₹76 crore to over 32,000 personnel was affected, and the money was coming from the State’s fund. “How do I get my teachers to work and motivate them to work further,” he asked.

The Minister said the State was considering legal action as it was a matter of State rights. “Owing to the lack of funds, we have been cutting down on other schemes to continue salary payments. We will hold discussions on it at the pre-Budget meeting,” he added.