The Puducherry government is making efforts to make Tamil compulsory for students. With regard to this, Chief Minister N Rangasamy said the government is pushing to make Tamil a compulsory subject in government-run Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools in Puducherry. 

Addressing the media on May 31, Wednesday, he said a government order will be issued soon after looking into the Karnataka government order.

This comes amidst pressure from Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and other political parties as well as socio-organisations like the Federation for People's Rights. A few socio-political outfits had announced to protest in front of the school education directorate demanding Tamil as a compulsory subject in schools under the CBSE curriculum, which at present is an optional subject.

Additionally, the chief minister added President Draupadi Murmu's visit to Puducherry on June 16 has not been confirmed yet, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express. 

Recent move

The director of private schools has recently ordered all private schools in the Tamil Nadu State to teach Tamil subjects in a phased manner for students of classes I to X. Under the Section 2 of the Tamil Nadu Learning Act, 2006 (Tamil Nadu Act 13 of 2006), the department has been directed to extend teaching Tamil subjects till Class X. 

By the end of the 2024-25 academic year, all private schools affiliated to various boards other than state boards will have to ensure that all students from Classes I to X are taught Tamil, the department noted. In the case of students who have not opted for Tamil in Classes IX and X, the department has noted that as part of respective board exam requirements, the child will have to be mandatorily taught Tamil as a compulsory language, as stated in reports online.