Chennai: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday mentioned the Centre was not imposing any language on anyone.
He termed those that declare that Centre imposes the three language coverage on States as “politically motivated”. “We aren’t imposing any language on anyone. For Class 1 and a pair of, there will probably be two language components. One will probably be mom tongue. Here, it is going to be Tamil language. Government of India’s situation is that you need to train in Tamil in main college. You can train one other language that’s your alternative,” he mentioned.
Pradhan was chatting with reporters within the presence of professor V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, after collaborating within the ‘Think India Dakshinapatha Summit 2025’.
Elaborating concerning the three language coverage, he mentioned from Class six to 10 there’s three language components. “One language will probably be mom tongue. The relaxation two will probably be your alternative. No language will probably be imposed by the Government of India on any State,” he mentioned.
To a question on how the three language coverage is being applied in a State just like the Uttar Pradesh, he mentioned, “We are implementing in that State additionally. Many State governments, overlook BJP dominated States, are implementing three language coverage, previous to National Education Policy.”
“In Uttar Pradesh, a pupil will be taught Hindi, as mom tongue. After that, they could go for studying Marathi and Tamil additionally. Some pupil in UP, can take Tamil as a 3rd language. UP authorities has to supply the power to show Tamil,” he mentioned.
Pointing out that solely 10 per cent of India’s inhabitants converse in English, he mentioned remainder of the inhabitants favor to talk of their mom tongue.
He quoted Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s feedback that he would encourage Telugu talking college students to be taught as many as 10 languages so that each Telugu boy would turn out to be ‘globally aggressive’ and they’d be proficient in several languages.
“Language is at all times a facilitator. Those with politically slim concepts are creating this drawback,” Pradhan mentioned. Referring to his previous visits to Tamil Nadu, Pradhan mentioned, “I’ve toured all a part of Tamil Nadu. It is actually a linguistic State. I’m Odia. I’m very happy with my Odia language. But I’m additionally happy with different Indian languages.”
“With full duty I’m telling you right this moment, those that need to create this language division, they’ve failed. Society is transferring manner forward of them, ” he mentioned.
