Fresh errors have surfaced in the Jhulana‑1 textbook prescribed for Class I students in English‑medium private schools, adding fuel to Odisha’s growing textbook controversy.
The book introduces the Odia alphabet in an unconventional order, beginning with the consonant ‘ଚ’ instead of the vowel ‘ଅ’, followed by ‘ଟ’, ‘ମ’, ‘ଗ’, and ‘ର’, while vowels like ‘ଅ’ and ‘ଆ’ appear much later. Teachers and parents have strongly criticised the arrangement, warning that it could confuse young learners at the foundational stage of language education.
Other significant mistakes have also been reported. In the state anthem Bande Utkala Janani, the line “Ghana Ghana Banabhumi” has been misprinted as “Ghana Banabhumi”. A spelling error has additionally been detected in the word “Utkala” in the national anthem.
The controversy has deepened as many schools are yet to receive printed copies of the textbook. Parents have instead been given a 168‑page PDF version, which also contains multiple errors.
Introduced under government directives, the textbook has prompted parents to demand an immediate review, correction of all mistakes, and supply of error‑free printed copies. The revelations come close on the heels of the Odisha government’s embarrassment over more than 1,600 errors detected in textbooks for Classes I to VIII, which drew sharp criticism from the Opposition and educationists.
