A total of 1,741 errors and suggestions have been detected in State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) textbooks issued for Classes I to VIII during the current academic session.
Replying to a query raised by MLA Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo in the Odisha Assembly, School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond confirmed the findings recorded in an officially published corrigendum.
A breakdown of the recorded entries reveals that five were significant factual or conceptual blunders, 1,075 were grammatical, typological, or spelling mistakes, and 661 were formal suggestions aimed at content improvement.
Among the prominent inaccuracies highlighted in the House were mislabeled photographs of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, erroneous geographical details regarding the location of Niyamgiri Hills, and misidentifications involving the Konark Sun Temple.
“A corrigendum containing the correct information has been sent to schools for the reference of teachers and students,” Minister Gond stated, assuring the Assembly that immediate steps were taken to rectify the content.
High-Level Administrative Crackdown
Explaining the editorial pipeline, the Minister noted that the textbooks were originally developed through a workshop mode before reaching the Core Committee for final approval. During this process, they underwent proofreading, review, and a single-day examination by subject-matter experts.
However, following the discovery of widespread lapses in the review mechanism, strict disciplinary action was taken against responsible authorities:
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Four Officials Suspended: The former Director of Teacher Education (DTE) & SCERT and three Assistant Directors have been placed under immediate suspension.
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Disciplinary Proceedings Initiated: Official disciplinary action has been launched against six additional Assistant Directors of DTE & SCERT.
Minister Gond reassured the Assembly that strict institutional measures have been implemented to safeguard the accuracy of Odisha’s rich history, geography, language, and cultural heritage in all upcoming textbook revisions.
