Former Anna University Vice-Chancellor Balagurusamy has submitted a detailed action-plan report to the Tamil Nadu government, outlining steps to raise the state’s school and higher education systems to global standards.
Citing rapid shifts in the global education landscape driven by artificial intelligence, digital technologies and the knowledge economy, the report offers recommendations for a five-year period from 2026 to 2031, aimed at improving learning quality, research capacity and student employability.
For schools, the report proposes a state-wide special mission to strengthen foundational reading, writing and numeracy. It also calls for integrating future skills into the curriculum, including coding, digital literacy, financial literacy, climate education and vocational education.
To support implementation, it recommends setting up “Teacher Excellence Academies” for continuous professional development, and upgrading infrastructure through smart classrooms, modern laboratories and internet connectivity. It also suggests establishing mental health counselling centres for students.
In higher education, the report urges filling key vacant administrative posts such as vice-chancellors and registrars, updating curricula every three years to match industry needs, and quickly addressing faculty vacancies. It also recommends mandatory internships through university–industry collaboration, creating centres of excellence in AI, robotics, cyber security and green energy, and promoting innovation through startup hubs, patent support and research funding. To monitor progress, it proposes a high-level “Tamil Nadu Education Transformation Council” chaired by the Chief Minister.
