DMK vows to restore education to state list, accuses BJP of centralizing control

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party, during its general council meeting held on June 1, adopted a resolution reaffirming its commitment to restore education to the State List.

The party expressed strong opposition to the BJP-led Union government's handling of education policy, accusing it of centralizing control and undermining the rights of individual states.

“To save education from falling entirely in the hands of the BJP government, steps would be taken with more force and vigor to bring education back to the state list,” the resolution stated.

The DMK criticized the Union government for treating education, which currently falls under the Concurrent List, as if it were solely under its jurisdiction.

It highlighted actions such as implementing structural changes in the education system without consulting states, disregarding the Tamil Nadu Assembly's resolution seeking exemption from NEET, and denying the state’s role in the appointment of university vice-chancellors in accordance with University Grants Commission (UGC) norms.

The resolution argued that these moves effectively excluded the state from key educational decisions, despite education being closely linked to the welfare and cultural identity of each state.

It asserted that the DMK would take stronger measures to ensure education returns fully to state control.

The meeting also condemned recent remarks by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who had criticized a Supreme Court judgment that set a time frame for the President and Governors to act on bills passed by state legislatures.

The DMK called his comments an attack on judicial independence.

Another resolution passed during the meeting criticized the BJP government for what it called a pattern of disrespecting Supreme Court rulings.

It took issue with the Union government’s letter to the court containing 14 questions regarding the President’s role in legislative matters, saying it was an attempt to “choke the rights of the State governments” by using the office of the President.