<![CDATA[ Odisha Orders Probe After 1,678 Errors Found in School Textbooks ]]> The Odisha government has ordered a high-level inquiry after 1,678 errors were identified in newly introduced school textbooks for Classes 1 to 8, raising concerns over the quality-control process behind the state’s curriculum overhaul.

The textbooks, prepared for the 2026–27 academic session under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the Odisha Curriculum Framework 2025, came under scrutiny after teachers reported numerous factual, conceptual and printing errors soon after the books were distributed to schools.

Among the mistakes highlighted were references to Sir Isaac Newton as the “Greatest Pilot,” a photograph of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly being labelled as the Odisha Legislative Assembly, and the Hampi temple complex being identified as the Konark Sun Temple.

Several geographical and scientific inaccuracies were also reported. Odisha’s Niyamgiri Hills were placed in Jharkhand, Berhampur was incorrectly described as a district rather than a city in Ganjam district, and wheat was confused with paddy. In science sections, temperature was labelled as pressure, a food web was mistaken for a food cycle, and the term “Equinox” was replaced with “Equator.”

According to the School and Mass Education Department, Class 8 textbooks accounted for the highest number of errors, with 705 mistakes recorded in those books alone.

Following a review meeting attended by senior government officials, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi directed authorities to identify those responsible and take appropriate action. A three-member committee headed by the Development Commissioner has been constituted to investigate the matter and submit its report within seven days.

The department has issued a corrigendum to schools and instructed teachers to use the corrected information during classroom teaching to minimise the impact on students.

The textbooks were developed under the supervision of the Directorate of Teacher Education and the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT). The government has also ordered a review of the textbook preparation and vetting process to strengthen quality-control measures and prevent similar lapses in future editions.

The controversy has renewed debate over textbook review mechanisms after more than 1,600 errors ranging from factual inaccuracies to conceptual mistakes—found their way into books being used by students across the state.

]]> en Thu, 06 18, 2026 10:00 am <![CDATA[ Odisha Orders Probe After 1,678 Errors Found in School Textbooks ]]> The Odisha government has ordered a high-level inquiry after 1,678 errors were identified in newly introduced school textbooks for Classes 1 to 8, raising concerns over the quality-control process behind the state’s curriculum overhaul.

The textbooks, prepared for the 2026–27 academic session under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the Odisha Curriculum Framework 2025, came under scrutiny after teachers reported numerous factual, conceptual and printing errors soon after the books were distributed to schools.

Among the mistakes highlighted were references to Sir Isaac Newton as the “Greatest Pilot,” a photograph of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly being labelled as the Odisha Legislative Assembly, and the Hampi temple complex being identified as the Konark Sun Temple.

Several geographical and scientific inaccuracies were also reported. Odisha’s Niyamgiri Hills were placed in Jharkhand, Berhampur was incorrectly described as a district rather than a city in Ganjam district, and wheat was confused with paddy. In science sections, temperature was labelled as pressure, a food web was mistaken for a food cycle, and the term “Equinox” was replaced with “Equator.”

According to the School and Mass Education Department, Class 8 textbooks accounted for the highest number of errors, with 705 mistakes recorded in those books alone.

Following a review meeting attended by senior government officials, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi directed authorities to identify those responsible and take appropriate action. A three-member committee headed by the Development Commissioner has been constituted to investigate the matter and submit its report within seven days.

The department has issued a corrigendum to schools and instructed teachers to use the corrected information during classroom teaching to minimise the impact on students.

The textbooks were developed under the supervision of the Directorate of Teacher Education and the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT). The government has also ordered a review of the textbook preparation and vetting process to strengthen quality-control measures and prevent similar lapses in future editions.

The controversy has renewed debate over textbook review mechanisms after more than 1,600 errors ranging from factual inaccuracies to conceptual mistakes—found their way into books being used by students across the state.

]]> News 2 Thu, 06 18, 2026 10:00 am