Taxpayer-Funded DMK Govt’s Fact Check Unit Fact-Checked By Netizens For Spreading Misinformation About Tamil Compulsory In TN Schools

The Tamil Nadu government’s official “fact-check unit,” TN Fact Check, has once again come under scrutiny for spreading misinformation at the taxpayers’ expense. This time, the state fact-checker used the excuse of the act to deflect criticism directed at the ruling DMK. The criticism centers on the allegation that DMK leader running schools are neglecting the implementation of compulsory Tamil in the state, while schools continue to use English as the primary language, with Tamil, Hindi, or French as second language options. However, the TN Fact Check unit shamelessly countered this by citing the act as proof that Tamil is indeed compulsory in the state.

On 28 February 2025, TN Fact Check, via its official X account, stated, “A false claim is being spread that the Tamil Nadu government has not made Tamil a compulsory subject! A video circulating on social media features a person on a private television channel stating, ‘Tamil has not been made a compulsory subject in schools in Tamil Nadu.’ This is completely false. The truth is that the ‘Tamil Nadu Tamil Learning Act’ was passed by the Tamil Nadu government in 2006. The act mandates that Tamil be taught as a compulsory subject in all schools from classes 1 to 10. This was first implemented in class 1 during the 2015-2016 academic year and has been progressively applied in subsequent classes. In the 2024-2025 academic year, the School Education Department issued a circular confirming that Tamil will be compulsory in all private schools, including CBSE and ICSE, up to class 10.”

In response to the TN Fact Check unit’s claim, individual posted evidence showing that a school run by a DMK leader uses English as the primary language, with Tamil offered only as an optional subject, alongside choices like Hindi and French. This sparked a debate on social media, with netizens mocking the TN Fact Check unit for spreading fake news that seems to favor the DMK government at the expense of taxpayers’ money.

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