At the core of the dispute is the three-language formula, a policy embedded in NEP 2020 that recommends school students learn three languages, at least two of which must be native to India. Though the policy claims to offer flexibility, allowing states and students to choose their languages without imposition, Tamil Nadu has consistently refused to implement it.
The roots of this opposition run deep. As early as 1937, when compulsory Hindi was introduced in schools under the Madras government, widespread protests erupted, led by the Justice Party and Dravidian icon Periyar. Though the policy was revoked in 1940, Tamil Nadu’s resistance to Hindi and any notion of imposition has remained steadfast.
When the three-language formula was first formalized in 1968, Tamil Nadu, under Chief Minister C. N. Annadurai, adopted a two-language policy—Tamil and English—opting out of the national formula. To date, Tamil Nadu remains the only Indian state that has never implemented the three-language formula, a stance rooted in its cultural and political history.
Yet, NEP 2020 has pushed for early implementation of the three-language formula, with the stated goal of promoting multilingualism and national unity. It even opens doors to foreign languages like Korean, Japanese, French, German, and Spanish at the secondary level, in addition to Indian languages and English.
While NEP supporters argue that multilingualism fosters unity, Tamil Nadu sees the move as an attempt to reintroduce Hindi imposition, reviving decades-old resistance.