Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M K Stalin on Saturday criticised the Center over CBSE’s new curriculum framework, calling it a calculated attempt at linguistic imposition that favoured Hindi over regional languages.In a post on X, Stalin wrote, “The recently unveiled curriculum framework is not an innocent academic reform; it is a calculated and deeply concerning attempt at linguistic imposition.”He added that “under the guise of promoting “Indian languages,” the BJP-led NDA government was aggressively advancing a centralising agenda that privileges Hindi while systematically marginalising India’s rich and diverse linguistic heritage.”Stalin questioned whether students in Hindi-speaking states would also be required to learn languages like Tamil, Telugu or Kannada.“For students in southern states, this framework effectively translates into compulsory Hindi learning. Yet, where is the reciprocity?” he asked, adding that the lack of clarity showed the one-sided and discriminatory nature of the policy.The Chief Minister also criticised the Centre for not making Tamil mandatory in Kendriya Vidyalaya schools and for not appointing enough Tamil teachers. “This is not commitment; this is rank hypocrisy,” he said.Stalin said such policies threaten India’s linguistic diversity and called on the AIADMK and its NDA allies in Tamil Nadu to take a stand. The remarks come as the Central Board of Secondary Education plans to roll out a phased three-language policy from the 2026–27 academic year, starting with Class 6. Under this, students will have to learn three languages, with at least two being Indian languages.
