Udhayanidhi Stalin Issues Appointment Orders to 2,457 Graduate Teachers; Launches Key Education Initiatives

Chennai : Tamil Nadu’s Hon’ble Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development, Thiru Udhayanidhi Stalin, today distributed appointment orders to 2,457 graduate teachers selected through the Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB). The event was held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, Chennai, under the auspices of the School Education Department.

During the ceremony, the Minister also launched new educational resources aimed at enhancing learning outcomes for middle school students:

• He released books prepared under the THIRAN initiative (Targeted Help for Improving Remediation & Academic Nurturing) to strengthen students’ language and math skills from classes 6 to 9.
• Additionally, he launched new curriculum textbooks under TNSPARK (Tamil Nadu School Programme for Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Knowledge of Online Tools), designed to teach students basic computing, robotics, AI, and digital skills.

Minister’s Address to Teachers

In his speech, Thiru Udhayanidhi Stalin expressed heartfelt congratulations to the newly appointed teachers, stating:

“It gives me immense pleasure to hand over appointment orders to 2,457 teachers. This is not just a personal joy but a historic moment for Tamil Nadu. I am also glad to inaugurate two significant initiatives — ‘THIRAN’ and ‘TNSPARK’ — which will shape the academic future of our students.”

He noted his recent participation in several School Education Department events and emphasized the crucial role teachers play in shaping both individual lives and the future of the state. Addressing the sea of teachers in the audience, he remarked:

“Seeing so many of you here together is overwhelming. There has always been a close bond between the Dravidian movement and teachers — a bond built on respect and trust. Leaders like Thanthai Periyar, Anna, and Kalaignar Karunanidhi held teachers in the highest regard.”

He highlighted the Dravidian Model Government’s commitment to social justice and inclusivity, pointing out that Tamil Nadu is now the only state in India with 100% teacher appointment in government schools, including remote and hilly areas. This achievement, he said, reaffirms that the Dravidian model is indeed a government of social justice.

Honouring the Legacy of Kalaignar

Udhayanidhi recalled that in 1929, at the Self-Respect Conference in Chengalpattu, Periyar passed a resolution calling for the appointment of more women teachers in government schools. This vision was later implemented by Kalaignar Karunanidhi, who introduced pioneering schemes to improve the status and support of government teachers.

“Following in Kalaignar’s footsteps, our Chief Minister has implemented multiple pro-teacher initiatives. Whether it’s ensuring equal pay or regularizing thousands of posts, the government continues to protect the rights of teachers and government employees,” he added.

A Word of Encouragement

Calling teachers the “foundation of our education system,” Udhayanidhi urged them to take pride in their work and continue guiding the youth, especially in this era of technological transformation.

“You are not just teaching academics. You are building futures — nurturing the next generation of scientists, innovators, and citizens.”

He concluded by requesting teachers to encourage students to balance academics with sports, emphasizing his dual responsibility as Minister for Sports and a strong advocate of holistic education.

Dignitaries Present

The event witnessed the presence of several notable leaders and officials including:

• Thiru M. Subramanian, Minister for Health and Family Welfare
• Thiru P.K. Sekar Babu, Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments
• Thiru Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, Minister for School Education
• Tmt. R. Priya, Mayor of Chennai
• MLAs E. Paranthaman and S. Azhaghan
• Thiru Dindigul I. Leethaayani, Chairman, Tamil Nadu Textbook Corporation
• Dr. P. Chandra Thangaraj, Principal Secretary, School Education
• Tmt. S. Jayanti, IAS, Chairperson, TRB
• Dr. M. Aarthi, IAS, State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha
• Senior officials from the Education Department and hundreds of newly appointed teachers.

Issued by:
Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Secretariat, Chennai – 9