The Odisha Student Congress staged a massive protest at Lower PMG Square in Bhubaneswar on Sunday, demanding the resignation of Minister Nityananda Gond over alleged widespread errors in school textbooks.
The protest coincided with the “Student Sankalp Samavesh”, which drew thousands of students from across the state.
Led by Odisha PCC President Bhakta Charan Das, the event also saw the presence of NSUI National President Vinod Jakhar and newly appointed NSUI Odisha President Bibhuti Bhusan Mahapatra, who were felicitated during the gathering. Student leaders Yasir Nawaz and Harishankar Rout joined the protest alongside other leaders.
Protesters raised slogans demanding the minister’s resignation, citing over 1,600 to 2,000 errors in textbooks from Class 1 to 8, including spelling mistakes, factual inaccuracies, wrong maps, and misidentified photographs. Examples highlighted included Isaac Newton being described as a pilot and Niyamgiri Hills shown in the wrong location.
Police intervened and detained several Student Congress activists during the demonstration. The opposition has intensified its demand, pointing to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as an example of moral responsibility. Congress leaders warned of a statewide bandh if the minister does not step down.
The issue has sparked widespread debate on social media, with students and citizens expressing concern over the impact of flawed textbooks on children’s education. PCC President Bhakta Charan Das declared that the agitation will continue until the minister resigns, warning, “If the Education Minister does not step down, this movement will intensify across the state.”
