Naveen Slams BJP Over 1,678 Textbook Errors in Odisha
Bhubaneswar: Former Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik has sharply criticised the BJP-led government in Odisha after 1,678 errors were discovered in Odia-medium textbooks for Classes 1–8.
The mistakes range from factual inaccuracies to cultural misrepresentations.
Class 8 textbooks alone contained 705 errors, including wrong images such as Karnataka’s Assembly building shown instead of Odisha’s, and the Konark Sun Temple replaced with Hampi’s Vittala Temple.
Other blunders included misspellings like “Gretest” for “Greatest” and geographical errors such as Niyamgiri Hills being placed in Jharkhand.
Education Minister Sudam Marndi admitted the lapses, attributing them to “printing and editing mistakes” under tight timelines.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has formed a three-member probe committee to submit a report within seven days.
Patnaik called the issue a “national embarrassment” and an attack on Odia Asmita (identity), demanding withdrawal of the defective books, accountability, and fresh reprints.
Parents and teachers have expressed concern about the long-term impact on students’ learning, while the controversy has reignited debate over quality control in education reforms under NEP 2020.
