Tamil Nadu Appoints Former ISRO Director Mayilsamy Annadurai as Chairman of New Curriculum Design Committee

The Tamil Nadu government has reconstituted the State Curriculum Design Committee and appointed former ISRO Director Mayilsamy Annadurai as its new chairman. The newly formed 17-member committee will oversee the development of the State school curriculum and syllabus for the next three years.

The decision follows the resignation of the previous chairman, Sultan Ahmed Ismail, who stepped down on June 2 after the newly elected government indicated that it would establish a new panel to guide curriculum reforms.

The committee comprises experts from diverse fields, including science, education, mathematics, history, archaeology, language studies, information technology, and the arts. Notable members include scientist T.V. Venkateswaran, physicist Rita John, Tamil scholar M. Sudhandhiramuthu, botanist N. Madhivanan, historian T. Ashokan, IT expert S. Angel Rathnabai, English language expert Uma Raman, mathematician P. Mahaveer, artist Maniam Selvan, archaeologist K. Rajan, educationist R. Chandana Devan, DIET Principal M. Selvam, National Award-winning teacher S. Dhilip, and Right to Education activist KSD Anantajit Makia.

The Director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) will serve as the Member-Secretary, while senior officials from the School Education Department will be ex-officio members. The government has also authorized the SCERT Director to form sub-committees for syllabus development, textbook preparation, and other academic activities.

The earlier Curriculum Design Committee had already completed and released the Term I textbooks for Classes 1, 2, and 3, which are currently being used in government schools across Tamil Nadu. The newly reconstituted committee is expected to continue the curriculum revision process and strengthen the quality of school education in the state.

The appointment of Mayilsamy Annadurai, widely known for his leadership in India`s space missions, is expected to bring scientific thinking, innovation, and modern educational practices to the development of Tamil Nadu`s school curriculum.