The Tamil Nadu government has officially scrapped the Class 11 board examination, effective immediately from the 2025–26 academic year, reported The Hindu, on Friday, August 8. 

The announcement was made on August 8, 2025, by Chief Minister MK Stalin during the unveiling of the State Education Policy (SEP), at the Anna Centenary Library, marking a substantial change in the school assessment model 

School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi confirmed that this academic year will mark the end of public exams for Class 11 students. Instead, the year will focus on preparing and transitioning students via continuous, competency-based internal assessments 

The policy underscores that Class 11 will now be treated as a ‘preparatory year’, aimed at enhancing subject understanding and skills without the pressure of a board exam.

What else is changing?

The decision aligns with the state's goal to reduce stress and workload on students. By easing exam pressure across successive years, Tamil Nadu hopes to foster a more enriching and balanced learning environment 

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin rolled out the state’s new education policy on Friday. After releasing the policy, Stalin said the state will continue to follow the two-language formula, Tamil and English, in schools.

Here are some highlights from the policy:

• School entry age set at five years.

• Ban on coaching centers operating alongside schools.

• Instruction only in Tamil and English.

• Play-based learning in early grades.