Odisha Parents’ Federation Protests for Educational Reforms with Hunger Strike

In Bhubaneswar, the Odisha Parents’ Federation has initiated a hunger strike to demand the withdrawal of incorrect school textbooks and the expansion of the Right to Education provisions. Despite previous assurances from the Chief Minister, the flawed textbooks remain in circulation. The federation is also advocating for the extension of RTE reservations to higher classes and postgraduate education, citing the National Education Policy 2020. This protest aims to safeguard the educational rights of students across the state.

By Ambika Singh Aug 1, 2026, 10:03 IST

Hunger Strike for Educational Rights

Bhubaneswar: On Friday, the Odisha Parents’ Federation initiated a hunger strike to advocate for the retraction of flawed school textbooks and to push for an expansion of the Right to Education (RTE) provisions in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The demonstrators claimed that despite the Chief Minister's prior commitment to withdraw the allegedly incorrect textbooks for students in Classes I to VIII, these materials remain in circulation and are still being utilized in educational institutions.

Additionally, the protesters are calling for the 25% reservation under the RTE Act to be extended to students in Classes IX through XII and those pursuing postgraduate studies. The federation contended that although the state government has pledged to fully implement NEP 2020 and provide free education from kindergarten through postgraduate levels, the RTE quota has not been adjusted to reflect this.

In support of their demands, they referenced Paragraph 8.4 of NEP 2020. The Odisha Parents’ Federation has urged its members and parents of RTE beneficiaries statewide to participate in the hunger strike, framing the protest as a crucial movement to protect students' educational rights.