Overview

• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced the formation of a high-level committee to recommend measures for enhancing state autonomy, with a focus on reclaiming control over education and governance.
• The panel, led by retired Supreme Court judge Kurien Joseph and including former IAS officers Ashok Vardan Shetty and Mu Nagarajan, will examine transferring subjects from the Concurrent List back to the State List.
• The committee is tasked with submitting an interim report by January 2026 and a final report by 2028, setting a clear timeline for its recommendations.
• The move follows disputes with the Union Government over the National Education Policy, NEET, and language imposition, which have led to the withholding of ₹2,500 crore in education funds for the state.
• This initiative is part of a broader effort to address long-standing tensions between Tamil Nadu and the central government, including recent Supreme Court rulings limiting the state Governor's powers.