The Telangana government plans to make Telugu mandatory in all schools, including CBSE-affiliated ones, to promote regional language education. Starting from the 2025/26 school year, the syllabus for Class IX and X will shift from ‘standard Telugu’ to ‘simple Telugu’ to assist non-Telugu speakers. This decision is amid ongoing tensions between Tamil Nadu and the BJP-led central government over the National Education Policy’s three-language provision. Tamil Nadu officials, including Chief Minister MK Stalin, have opposed perceived “Hindi imposition,” asserting that their two-language policy suffices. The BJP aims to support the three-language policy, intensifying the political debate ahead of upcoming elections.
Hyderabad:
The Telangana government has announced that Telugu will be compulsory in all schools, including those affiliated with the centrally administered CBSE, as part of an initiative to ensure that students learn their mother tongue or, for those from outside the state, the regional language.
The state also revealed that the syllabus for Class IX and X students will be simplified, transitioning from ‘standard Telugu’ to a ‘basic Telugu’, beginning in the 2025/26 academic year for Class IX and the 2026/27 year for Class X.
This change is anticipated to benefit students whose first language isn’t Telugu.
This directive arrives amidst a growing ‘language war’ between neighboring Tamil Nadu and the BJP-led central government concerning the three-language policy outlined in the National Education Policy.
Tamil Nadu’s ‘Language War’
The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu has vocally opposed a provision in the NEP that requires students to learn a third language of their choosing, claiming it amounts to ‘Hindi imposition’. However, the central government maintains that no student will be forced to learn a language they do not wish to, including Hindi.
Tamil Nadu adheres to a two-language policy wherein students are taught English and Tamil. Education Minister Anbil Mahesh noted in an interview with NDTV that this is “sufficient,” given the state’s success in producing high achievers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields.
Historically, Tamil Nadu and other southern states have been skeptical of the central government (regardless of which party is in power) attempting to ‘impose’ Hindi.
Protests in Tamil Nadu have previously led to violent riots in the 1930s and 1960s.
Centre vs Stalins On 3-Language Row
The recent protests intensified following remarks from Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan that sparked strong backlash from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and his deputy, Udhayanidhi Stalin, along with other Tamil leaders, including actor-politician Kamal Haasan.
Mr. Pradhan stated that Tamil Nadu would not receive Rs 2,400 crore in central funds unless it implements the NEP, including adopting the three-language system. He emphasized that the center is “committed” to the new policy, which has “certain conditions to meet.”
READ | “No Question Of Imposing Language But…”: Union Education Minister
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister swiftly condemned the Education Minister’s comments as “blackmail” and has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to highlight the “direct violation of cooperative federalism” and the negative consequences for students and schools stemming from the withholding of funds.
READ | “Tamil Nadu Ready For Language War”: Stalin Jr Amid Row Over Hindi
Last week, Udhayanidhi Stalin warned states that do not speak Hindi they might “lose their mother tongue” if they accept ‘Hindi imposition’. He declared that Tamil Nadu is prepared for yet another ‘language war’, a term frequently employed by Tamil politicians in this context.
He reminded the BJP that “this is a Dravidian land… the land of Periyar” and stated, “The last time you tried to take away the rights of the Tamil people, they initiated ‘GoBackModi’. If you attempt it again… this time the cry will be ‘Get out, Modi’…”
What Dharmendra Pradhan Said
READ | “Creating Anti-Delhi Narrative”: Education Minister On MK Stalin
“Nowhere in the NEP do we suggest that there will be an imposition of any particular language in any specific state… a political stance has been unnecessarily taken (by the Tamil Nadu government).”
BJP’s Response
READ | BJP To Launch Campaign On 3-Language Policy In Tamil Nadu
Prior to the launch of the program, the party’s state president, K Annamalai, accused the DMK of clinging to an “outdated” policy from the 1960s. “The world is evolving at a rapid pace. How can you impose your outdated 1960s policy on the children of Tamil Nadu?” he remarked.
This initiative is viewed as part of the BJP’s ongoing efforts to establish a presence in the Tamil political landscape, where it has historically struggled to win over Tamil voters.
In the 2016 elections, the party contested all 234 seats but secured none. In 2021, it aimed lower by contesting only 20 seats and won four. Its Lok Sabha record is even poorer, capturing no seats in 2019 and 2024.
Tamil Nadu is gearing up for a new government election next year, and the ‘Hindi imposition’ issue is expected to remain a contentious topic until then, likely becoming a central campaign issue.
With input from agencies
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