The Tamil Nadu government plans to unveil the draft of the State Education Policy once the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is lifted, according to sources on Saturday, May 11. The MCC is expected to be lifted after the announcement of Lok Sabha election results on June 4 (Tuesday).
In 2021, the Tamil Nadu government had announced its intention to introduce a dedicated State Education Policy in the Assembly. Subsequently, a panel was formed in May 2022, headed by retired High Court judge Justice D Murugesan, comprising educationists and experts from various fields.
Sources within the Tamil Nadu Education Department disclosed that the draft of the State Education Policy was already prepared in November 2023. However, the resignation of K Ponmudi, the state's higher education minister, as a legislator and from his ministerial post due to a conviction in a case, followed by his reinstatement following a favorable court ruling, disrupted the process. Additionally, the announcement of Lok Sabha polls enforced the Model Code of Conduct, further delaying the release of the draft.
Sources in the school education department indicated that after the draft of the School Education Policy is unveiled, it will take more than three months for the final document to be released.
Dr. Mohammed Rashid, a retired professor from Madras University, emphasized the urgency of releasing the State Education Policy, especially since it was decided upon after the announcement of the National Education Policy. Educational institutions' management has been anticipating this announcement for quite some time, he noted.
