Chennai, Mar 9 : Accusing the BJP-led NDA at the Centre of destroying the education sector very badly in the last eight years of its misrule,Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin today said now they have come up with another stumbling block in the name of NEET and that stumbling block will beremoved. In his address through video-conferencing in The New Indian Express – Think Edu Conclave, he said Tamil Nadu is a land of Social Justice. Leaders from Justice Party, Kamarajar, Perarignar Anna, Muthamizharignar Kalaignar, MGR have all worked to bring children to schools. They allotted more funds for education. They had a clear vision that education for all is imperative for the holistic development of the state, he said, adding, Dravidian movement always prioritised education since its inception. Late M Karunanidhi who had been the Chief Minister for five times put great efforts to make Tamil Nadu a developed state in the field of higher education. He started new colleges across Tamil Nadu. He established many versities, introduced equitable education system with form syllabus, the Law versity in Chennai after Babasaheb Ambedkar. Above all, he eradicated the entrance exam system which acted as a barrier in accessing professional courses. “If Tamil Nadu has lot of engineers and top-class doctors today, it was Dravidian movement and the unmatchable icon Kalaignar who sowed the seeds for the same. In a society which denied access to education using a bogus definition of merit, we said that if education is given, they will attain merit on their own and ensured the rights of the oppressed people”, he said. “Now they (the BJP regime at the Centre) have come up with another stumbling block in the name of NEET. It is for this reason that we oppose NEET. That stumbling block will be removed”, Stalin said, adding, just like NEET, to disfigure the system which we have built carefully for over century, they have dressed old-fashioned thoughts with the new name called “New Education Policy”. The education sector has been destroyed very badly in the last eight years of BJP’s misrule. Using the brute majority, superstitious, regressive and unscientific claims are imposed in the syllabi. Communal forces are poisoning the young minds with divisive thoughts and hatred. Is this the contribution a government is supposed to offer for education? This is the question that the intellectuals, those with conscience, neutral commentators, educationists ought to ask with without fear. In conferences like this, it shall be discussed on how to get rid of such dangers to education, the Chief Minister said. The fact that Education is concurrent list is not for the parties that form the on Government to promote its regressive principles. Education is the asset of this nation and the right of every citizen. That a party which is in power in the on Government wants to destroy it is like depriving people without oxygen. No good human would allow it.That is why we have been continuously demanding to move education back into State list, Stalin said. Despite such hardships, the DMK government in Tamil Nadu is implementing many progressive schemes. “To bridge the learning gap caused by lockdown period, we have introduced “Illam Thedi Kalvi” scheme. World renowned economist Jean Dreze has recommended for the implementation of this scheme in Jharkhand”, he added. Stalin said his government was also planning to offer refresher courses and soft skills training to teachers under the guidance of top educationists. The State Education Policy which is being drafted is the cherry on the cake. Apart from school education, to develop their skills in various aspects, the government launched a very que “Naan Mudhalvan” scheme. “That Tamil Nadu excels in education alone is not enough for us. We should excel in higher education and research field too. This is what I have been stressing whenever I visit any educational institution. To attain such excellence, education shall not be denied to anyone. No factor like caste, place, background, money, religion, attire, gender should act as hindrance to a student’s education. It is to establish such a society; we have been fighting”, he said. GV 1636