Odisha CM Suspects Plot in Textbook Row, Warns Guilty of Reprint Costs

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has issued a stern warning regarding the ongoing school textbook controversy, He stated that if anyone is found guilty of intentionally sabotaging the process, they’ll have to cover all costs for reprinting and distributing the books themselves. Majhi called the sheer number of mistakes in the new textbooks “unprecedented” and even suggested it might be an attempt to tarnish the state government’s image.

There were 1,678 spelling, factual, and conceptual errors scattered throughout the new textbooks for Classes I to VIII. The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) put these books together to fit with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. But Class VIII texts are the worst—705 mistakes—drawing plenty of fire from the opposition.

With students, parents, and teachers all outraged, the government ordered a top-level investigation. Majhi personally stepped in to push things along, slashing the original 15-day probe deadline down to just a week. A committee led by the Development Commissioner is handling the inquiry, and while their deadline has passed, their official report should land soon.

While everyone waits for the probe’s findings, the School and Mass Education Department hasn’t sat idle. They’ve issued a corrigendum, telling schools to help students fix errors in their own books for now. Majhi insists tougher review and quality control measures are on the way, promising not to let a fiasco like this happen again.