Odisha Government Responds to Textbook Error Controversy: What’s Next for Students?
Government's Assurance on Textbook Corrections
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government announced on Wednesday that it will soon distribute revised textbooks to students, countering claims regarding the number of errors present in the current editions.
N Thirumala Naik, the Secretary of the School and Mass Education Department, stated that the actual count of errors is significantly lower than what has been reported.
Recent allegations suggested over 1,600 mistakes in the new textbooks for Classes I to VIII, including spelling errors and inaccuracies regarding notable figures, leading to heightened criticism of the BJP government.
Opposition parties have accused the administration of displaying a "careless and negligent attitude," which they claim has tarnished Odia pride. They are calling for the resignation of School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond and a CBI investigation into the situation.
In his first press conference addressing the uproar, Naik emphasized the government's commitment to rectifying the errors and ensuring that students receive new textbooks promptly. In the interim, corrected sheets will be provided to teachers for students to continue their studies.
While Naik acknowledged that some errors exist in the textbooks, he dismissed the claim of 1,678 mistakes as exaggerated.
"The figures circulating in the media and on social platforms are inaccurate. The true number of errors is much less than what has been claimed," he stated, without specifying the exact number of errors identified by the government.
He also sidestepped questions regarding the inclusion of a Rajasthani folk song in the textbooks intended for Odisha students.
Naik assured that the government has already begun taking corrective actions to address the reported mistakes in schoolbooks. The department aims to rectify major errors and provide new textbooks until updated editions are printed and distributed.
"Experts and senior officials are currently reviewing the errors, and we have sought public feedback. The Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA) has published a correction list on its website," he added.
The Secretary reiterated that the government is working diligently to expedite the provision of new textbooks, instructing officials to finalize corrections transparently and swiftly.
He mentioned that actions have been taken against certain officials based on a report from a high-level committee led by development commissioner DK Singh, indicating that further actions may follow.
In Nabarangpur, the Congress party has called for a 12-hour shutdown in protest against the textbook errors and is demanding the resignation of Gond, who is from the district.