Tamil Nadu Budget 2021: TN to have its own state education policy

NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu minister for finance and human resources PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan, in the Tamil Nadu Budget 2021 speech, announced that the state will be formulating its own “distinct” state education policy, separate from the National Education Policy 2020 cleared by the Union Cabinet last year. Tamil Nadu will form a “high level committee” to formulate the policy.

In Tamil Nadu Budget 2021, the finance minister also announced that school education will get Rs 32,599.54 crore, a Rs 1,582 crore reduction from the budget estimate announced earlier this year.

Higher education, which has been allotted Rs 5,369 crore, suffered a cut of Rs 109 crores from the budget estimate.

In the Tamil Nadu Government Budget 2021, the government has also announced schemes for establishing model schools, addressing learning loss in schools, and a new Tamil Nadu Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Corporation along with the new state education policy.

Palanivel Thiagarajan, in his Budget 2021 speech, said:“Government will appoint a high level committee of educationists and experts to formulate a distinct state education policy for Tamil Nadu in keeping with the historical legacy, present situation and future aspirations of the state.”

Tamil Nadu finance minister Palanivel Thiagarajan was announcing the state’s first paperless budget and the first budget of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) since it came to power in May 2021.

Former deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam presented the interim budget for the year 2021-22 on February 23, ahead of the assembly elections. The current budget is a revised estimate for the next six months of the financial year.

School education

• Rs 32,599.54 crore to school education department

• 12 new primary schools

• 22 new schools will be upgraded in hilly and remote areas.

• Rs 66.70 crore is made for “Ennum Ezhuthum” mission to ensure foundational literacy and numeracy for children by the age of eight by 2025

• Rs 114.18 crore for establishing 1,784 government middle schools

• Rs 20.76 crore for smart classrooms in higher secondary schools

• A special scheme will be implemented to establish model schools.

• A comprehensive plan for remedial education to address learning loss

Higher education

• Rs 5,369 crore for higher education

• 10 new arts and science colleges will be established in the state

• Smart classes in 25 colleges this year

• A learning management system for all higher education institutions

• Rs 10 crore for smart classrooms in 25 polytechnic colleges

• New hostel buildings in four engineering colleges

• New Tamil Nadu Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Corporation in partnership with Madras Institute of Technology, Anna University

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