While presenting the TN budget for 2021-2022, State Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan said his government will appoint a high-level committee of educationists and experts to formulate an exclusive SEP in keeping with the historical legacy, present situation and future aspirations of the State. 

"We are requesting the State government to have a separate and exclusive SEP for the last one decade by opposing the recent Centre's proposal to implement National Educational Policy (NEP). When SEP is implemented here, the school education will definitely improve according to the local conditions", Tamil Nadu Teachers Association president P K Ilamaran said. 

Claiming that if the SEP is implemented, the State could take its own decision without depending on the Centre's nod, he said "even release of the funds will be quick and projects related to education will also be implemented very soon". 

Echoing similar views of Ilamaran, PB Prince Gajendra Babu, General Secretary, State Platform for Common School System - Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN) said the announcement of forming a high-level panel to evolve a SEP is the most welcome measure as education is a component of culture. 

"We expect the Committee to come out with a policy that will be a time-tested model to be followed by any society in any part of the world", he said. 

Taking into account the pandemic and economic setbacks due to lockdown, the allocation for School and Higher Education is satisfactory and we hope in coming years there will be higher allotment as the State Education Policy evolves. 

On the SEP for Higher Education, Tamil Nadu Federation of Univesity Faculty Association (TANFUFA) president Dr L Arul Aram hailed the government decision and said "there is nothing wrong that the state takes over the education. It is a good move since national education policy cannot jel with all the state. However, the quality should not be compromised while implementing SEP". 

Stating that separate SEP will improve the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) but also improve, Arul, who is also Anna University's Teachers Association president, said the state government in its SEP should bring the latest technology in the teaching. 

Welcoming the decision of the State to bring exclusive SEP here, P Tirunavukkarasu, president Association of University Teachers (AUT) said that rural students will be largely benefited from the governments' move the higher education, which is very vital for employment, will be according to their requirement. 

"If the policy was implemented, the State would get individuality in taking many decisions to improve the education system", he claimed.