Odisha’s new school textbooks for Classes I to VIII have come under scrutiny after 1,678 errors were identified, sparking concern among teachers, parents, and students.
The School and Mass Education Department acknowledged the mistakes and prepared a list of corrections.
Reports confirmed that Class VIII textbooks contained the highest number of errors, with 705 mistakes. These included spelling errors, factual inaccuracies, incorrect names of eminent personalities, and wrong photographs. One glaring error showed the Karnataka Legislative Assembly instead of Odisha’s Assembly. Another described the Niyamgiri Hills as being in Jharkhand. The books also misidentified Ganjam district as Berhampur district, despite Berhampur being a city within Ganjam.
The textbooks were developed under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the Odisha Curriculum Framework for School Education 2025, scheduled for introduction in the 2026-27 academic session. Responsibility lay with the Directorate of Teacher Education and SCERT, with experienced teachers and education experts involved. Stakeholders now question the quality control and review mechanisms before publication.
Primary School Teachers’ Association president Brahmananda Maharana criticised the oversight, stressing that textbooks shape the future of students. He demanded a thorough review of the preparation process and strict action against those responsible. He insisted that flawed books should not reach classrooms without proper corrections.
