Chief Minister MK Stalin said the policy has been designed keeping in mind Tamil Nadu’s unique character and aimed at preparing students for the future with a vision.
| Photo Credit:
Anirudh Parthasarathy 10914@Chennai
Tamil Nadu on Friday released its State Education Policy 2025 underscoring the importance of multilingual education, equitable two-language policy, and early childhood mother tongue learning to promote conceptual clarity and cognitive growth.
The policy has been grounded in the principles of equity, social justice, and cultural pride, it outlines actionable reforms across foundational learning, curriculum and pedagogy, teacher development, assessment, digital integration, infrastructure, and community engagement.
The Tamil Nadu School Education Department administers one of the largest and most decentralised school education systems in India. It oversees a wide network of institutions at multiple stages — from pre-primary to higher secondary — across government, aided, and private managements. As of March 2024, the system comprises over 58,800 schools, serving 1.16 crore students with a dedicated teaching workforce of nearly 3 lakh teachers, the policy said.
Tamil Nadu’s Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) remains close to or above 95 per cent at primary, upper primary, and secondary levels, indicating near-universal participation. Notably, the state has achieved an exceptional GER of 102.6 per cent at upper primary level, reflecting successful efforts in ensuring middle school access. The State has effectively maintained a zero dropout rate at primary and upper primary stages due to continuous monitoring and child-friendly initiatives. However, the dropout rate at secondary level remains at 7.7 per cent, highlighting the need for intensified vocational and career counseling at this stage, the policy said.
The policy envisions schools as safe, vibrant spaces that nurture the full potential of every learner. At its heart, it is a commitment to ensure that every child in Tamil Nadu can learn with dignity, grow with confidence, and thrive in a rapidly changing, interconnected world.
The policy contains ten different chapters with each chapter presenting a focused roadmap for reform and renewal — together forming a blueprint for a vibrant, equitable, and future-ready education system.
For instance, the the Context, Vision and Current Status of School Education in Tamil Nadu chapter sets the policy in motion by revisiting Tamil Nadu’s historical achievements in education — near-universal enrolment, reduced dropout rates, and strong welfare schemes — while acknowledging emerging challenges such as digital divides, learning gaps post-COVID, and the need for future-ready skills.
It articulates a compelling vision: to nurture every child’s potential through an inclusive, equitable, and resilient education system. It also introduces the rationale for a dynamic policy that will evolve periodically to remain responsive to societal and technological changes.
The chapter on Resilient and Sustainable Infrastructure for Future-Ready Schools deals on a a future-ready education system that requires future-ready infrastructure. This chapter details the State’s plan to modernise schools through smart classrooms, barrier-free access, science and computer labs, and digital tools.
To achieve 100 per cent digital access, the State will expand school connectivity, provide more Hi-Tech labs, and improve affordable internet in rural areas. Digital literacy programmes for students, parents, and teachers will be strengthened to ensure inclusive, technology-enabled education for all, the policy said.
Mandatory modules such as “Know My village, “Know My City and “Know My State” will be introduced to teach geography, history, and culture grounded in the students’ immediate environment. Schools shall actively celebrate local festivals, crafts, and traditions through projects, exhibitions, and community participation, fostering a deep sense of cultural pride, the policy said.
Enabling students to analyse issues, make reasoned decisions, and tackle challenges creatively and fostering effective interpersonal skills, teamwork, and digital communication abilities, will be given focus, the policy said.
Releasing the policy, Chief Minister MK Stalin said the policy has been designed keeping in mind Tamil Nadu’s unique character and aimed at preparing students for the future with a vision.
Published on August 8, 2025
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