State Education Policy final report likely to be submitted to CM Stalin this week
Policy scheduled to be released last Sept delayed by many unforeseen hurdles
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CHENNAI: The much-anticipated release of the State Education Policy (SEP) is soon on the cards as the expert committee is expected to submit its final report to the Tami Nadu Chief Minister during the first week of July.
As per the original schedule, the policy should have been released last September. After constituting the panel, headed by retired High Court Judge D Murugesan in 2022, a series of review meetings were held to give shape to the SEP, which should have been released in May 2023.
However, several hurdles including the resignation of one of the senior members and conveners of the panel, Jawahar Nesan, and following Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy facing disqualification as a legislator after his conviction besides the model code of conduct during general elections.
A senior official from the Higher Education Department told DT Next that though the submission of the final report, which was already prepared, was delayed, the School Education and Higher Education Department is keen to implement the policy from this academic year itself.
“The committee might also submit its final report today (Monday-July 1)”, he said adding “After submitting the report, it will be published for the public and stakeholders immediately to seek any amendments”.
PB Prince Gajendra Babu, general secretary of the State Platform for Common School System, said that the State government should ensure that the SEP is released immediately so that the students would benefit from this academic year.
He claimed if there is any further delay in releasing the policy it would also put more pressure on the institutions especially state-owned universities as they could not implement it if the policy was implemented in the middle of this academic year.
Professor E Balagurusamy, former Anna University Vice Chancellor, also added that many institutions in the state are at the confusion stage whether they need to adopt the National Education Policy (NEP-2020) or the State’s policy.
“The government should not only release the policy immediately but also implement as soon as possible,” he added.