CHENNAI: Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai on Tuesday raised eyebrows in political circles after he publicly disagreed with the Union government by urging it to withdraw the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)’s recent circular implementing the three-language policy for Class IX students from the current academic year.
In a statement, Annamalai said he had welcomed the CBSE’s April 2026 announcement mandating three languages from Class VI onwards, with at least two being Indian languages, saying the move would help children understand India’s diverse literary and cultural heritage at a young age.
However, he pointed out that the April notification had clearly stated that the compulsory third-language requirement for Class IX students would come into force only from the 2029-30 academic year. Referring to a fresh circular issued by the CBSE on May 15, Annamalai said the board had now advanced the implementation to the current academic year itself. According to the revised circular, Class IX students will now have to compulsorily study three languages, including two Indian languages, from July 1, 2026.
Calling the move “sudden,” Annamalai said it had caused anxiety among parents, especially in Tamil Nadu, where students had already chosen their preferred language in Class VI under the existing framework. He said expecting students entering Class IX to learn an additional language within a short period would place unnecessary mental stress on children and adversely affect their academic performance.
Urging immediate intervention from the Union Ministry of Education, Annamalai requested the Centre to withdraw the latest circular and implement the policy only from the 2029-30 academic year as originally announced by the CBSE.
Annamalai did not contest the recent Tamil Nadu Assembly elections after informing the party high command that he preferred to sit out. Though there was initial speculation that he was unhappy with the BJP’s decision to ally with the AIADMK, among other issues, he actively campaigned for BJP candidates as well as alliance partners during the polls.
In April, Annamalai had said he would explain the reasons behind his decision not to contest the 2026 Assembly elections only after the results were announced on May 4. However, he is yet to publicly speak about his future plans.