Tamil Nadu forms panel on state autonomy, cites Centre's overreach

The DMK-led Tamil Nadu government forms panel led by ex-SC judge to study Centre-state ties amid DMK-BJP clash over education, a concurrent subject at the heart of their prolonged standoff

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday announced the formation of a committee led by a retired Supreme Court judge to examine and recommend measures for the state's autonomy, alleging that the Centre was steadily encroaching upon the rights of states.

 

The committee, to be chaired by former Supreme Court judge Kurian Joseph, has been tasked with studying the Centre-state relationship in depth to safeguard the autonomy of states. Stalin informed the Assembly that an interim report would be presented by January 2026, with a final report expected within two years.

 

Other members of the panel include former IAS officer Ashok Vardhan Shetty and M Naganathan, who earlier served as the vice-chairman of the State Planning Commission.

 

"The committee will study, as per the law, to transfer those subjects that went from the State List to the Concurrent List," Stalin said, highlighting that the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) currently lies outside the jurisdiction of state governments.

 

The development assumes importance in the backdrop of the prolonged and intense conflict between the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government and the BJP-headed central government, particularly over education-related issues. This includes Tamil Nadu’s persistent demand for exemption from NEET — the centrally conducted entrance exam for medical courses — which it views as discriminatory.

 

The move also comes amid the ongoing friction between Stalin’s administration and Governor RN Ravi. Last week, the Supreme Court criticised the Governor for exceeding his constitutional authority by delaying action on 10 bills passed by the state legislature — some pending for as long as five years. The top court described Governor Ravi’s actions as “arbitrary” and “illegal."

 

Chief Minister Stalin, whose party has frequently accused the Governor of undermining the state’s developmental agenda, welcomed the Supreme Court’s ruling as a “historic” moment.

 

Several of the bills, now enacted into law, curtail the Governor’s role in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors to state-run universities — an area of particular contention.

 

Push to shift education to state control

 

Currently, education is listed as a subject under the concurrent list — shared by both state and central governments. Stalin has called for it to be moved back to the state list, demanding the reversal of the 42nd constitutional amendment which had transferred education to the concurrent list.

 

Tensions peaked recently when President Droupadi Murmu turned down a state bill — passed twice by the Tamil Nadu Assembly — that aimed to base medical admissions on Class XII marks rather than NEET.

 

“The Union government may have rejected Tamil Nadu's request... but our fight is far from over. We will consult legal experts on how to challenge this decision,” Stalin had said.

 

Another contentious issue is the three-language formula in the National Education Policy (NEP), which Tamil Nadu claims amounts to the imposition of Hindi. The policy recommends students from Class VII onwards study three languages — including one from a list of 22 — alongside their mother tongue and English.

 

The DMK has objected, arguing that the state’s long-standing two-language system has served it well and contributed to its strong economic performance.

 

The party has also alleged that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is pressuring the state by threatening to withhold ₹2,500 crore in educational funds — an allegation the minister and the BJP have denied. Instead, they accused the DMK of backing out on earlier commitments to fully implement the new education policy.

 

The BJP has also maintained that the NEP does not mandate a student to study Hindi.

 

(With agency inputs)