Madurai (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 17 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Ministry of Information and Broadcasting L Murugan came out in defence of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the war of war to implement the three-language formula in the New Education Policy in Tamil Nadu and said that NEP was not implemented overnight. It encouraged research and promoted student participation in academic advancements.

He visited and offered prayers at Arulmigu Subramaniya Swami Temple in Thirupparankundram on Monday.

MoS L. Murugan said, 'The National Education Policy (NEP) was not implemented overnight; it has come into effect after 40 years of deliberation. Considering the global competitive landscape, it is our responsibility to prepare our youth to meet global challenges. Additionally, the New Education Policy encourages research and promotes student participation in academic advancements. The NEP is designed to encourage education in one's mother tongue, emphasizing that children should study in their native language.'

Earlier Tamil Nadu BJP State President K Annamalai on Sunday slammed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin for his stance against the three-language formula in education.

'Private schools where the sons, daughters or grandchildren of Tamil Nadu ministers, including the Chief Minister, study can teach trilingualism. Shouldn't government schools where our children study teach trilingualism - Tamil, English and a third Indian language?' Annamalai said in a post on X.

The BJP leader accused the DMK government of imposing an 'outdated' education policy of the 1960s on the children of Tamil Nadu.

'In private schools run by DMK across Tamil Nadu, most of them have the CBSE trilingual curriculum. Why is it a scam only for government school students? Is the Chief Minister saying that people should learn multiple languages only if they have money? It is now 2025,' Annamalai said.

'The world is developing rapidly. And what is the point of imposing your outdated policy of the 1960s on the children of Tamil Nadu?' he added.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had said that the DMK government has to come to the terms of the Indian Constitution when reacting to the three-language formula in the New Education Policy.

Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan; Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath; and Union Minister of State for Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Dr L Murugan had inaugurated the third edition of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on February 15. (ANI)