MK Stalin Forms High-Level Panel to Push for Tamil Nadu’s Autonomy, Slams Centre Over NEP, NEET
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin on Tuesday announced a high-level committee to explore state autonomy measures, escalating his government’s ongoing confrontation with the Centre.
In a bold assertion of federal rights, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday moved a resolution in the Tamil Nadu Assembly calling for greater state autonomy and announced the formation of a high-level committee to recommend steps for the same. The committee, chaired by former Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph, will also include retired bureaucrats Ashok Shetty and Mu Nagarajan.
The panel has been tasked with submitting an interim report by January 2026, followed by a final comprehensive report within two years. “To protect the rights of the state and to enhance the relationship between the Union and state governments, a high-level committee has been formed,” Stalin said in the Assembly under Rule 110.
The newly formed committee will study ways to reclaim policy-making domains originally reserved for states but now under dual control with the Centre. It will also examine constitutional provisions and suggest structural changes to bolster federalism.
“This is not just about Tamil Nadu but about protecting the rights of all states,” Stalin declared, underscoring that his party’s broader agenda includes preserving cooperative federalism and opposing excessive centralization.
During the Assembly address, Stalin sharply criticized the Centre over the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the National Education Policy (NEP), reiterating the state’s firm opposition to both.
“We have lost many students due to the NEET exam. We have continuously opposed it. In the name of the triple language policy, the Union government is trying to impose Hindi in Tamil Nadu,” Stalin said, according to ANI.
He also alleged that the Union government had withheld ₹2,500 crore in educational funds due to Tamil Nadu’s non-compliance with NEP guidelines.
Stalin made the announcement under Rule 110 of the Tamil Nadu Assembly procedures, which allows a minister to make a statement without opposition response. This move effectively barred immediate debate or criticism from rival parties.
The opposition AIADMK has accused the DMK of using procedural tools to avoid scrutiny while making politically charged decisions.
Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK has been a vocal critic of the BJP-led Union government on various issues, including language imposition, GST revenue sharing, and education policy. Stalin’s latest move comes amid heightened national debate over Centre-State relations, particularly in opposition-ruled states.
Political analysts see the formation of the committee as a calculated escalation intended to build a nationwide discourse around federal restructuring ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections and future national realignments.
The Stalin-led government is expected to convene consultations with legal and constitutional experts in the coming months. The committee’s findings may also be used to advocate for constitutional amendments or policy changes at the national level.
Meanwhile, the Centre has yet to respond officially to the resolution or the formation of the panel.
