PMO Seeks Action on Odisha Textbook Irregularities

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has asked the Odisha School and Mass Education Department to take appropriate action following a complaint alleging irregularities in the printing and distribution of school textbooks.
The complaint was filed by RTI activist and whistleblower Pradip Pradhan, who alleged financial discrepancies, procedural violations, conflict of interest and lapses in textbook quality control.

The complaint also raises questions over the role of Odisha Government Press Deputy Director (Technical) Subhrajit Nayak, who has reportedly been overseeing textbook printing since 2022. It alleges that private printers and suppliers were selected under questionable circumstances and claims that a firm linked to Nayak’s wife benefited from contracts.
Pradhan further alleged that inadequate quality checks resulted in textbooks containing printing mistakes, missing material and other defects being supplied to large numbers of students across the state.
Following the PMO’s direction, the matter has been referred to the state authorities for necessary action. The complainant has also sought a CBI investigation into the alleged financial and procedural irregularities.