Odisha Government Takes Action Over Textbook Errors: Four Officials Suspended

The Odisha government has suspended four officials and initiated disciplinary proceedings against six others due to numerous errors found in school textbooks. A committee investigating the issue reported over 1,678 inaccuracies, including mischaracterizations of historical figures and geographical errors. This has sparked criticism from educators and parents, highlighting serious concerns about the education system's integrity. The Chief Minister has directed further investigations to identify responsible parties. Read on to learn more about the implications of these findings.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 26, 2026, 16:18 IST

Government Response to Textbook Errors

Bhubaneswar: On Friday, the Odisha government took decisive action by suspending four officials due to significant errors discovered in school textbooks. Disciplinary measures have also been initiated against six assistant directors, as reported by sources.

The suspended officials include Manoj Padhi, the former Director of Teachers Training and SCERT, along with Assistant Directors Pralipta Mishra, Dilip Kumar Sahu, and Bharati Tudu, all of whom are accused of being involved in the publication of these flawed textbooks.

Additionally, disciplinary action has been launched against six other individuals: Bandita Pattnaik, Manas Ranjan Rout, Manoranjan Mahapatra, Dr. Prashant Kumar Sahu, Manas Kumar Nayak, and Dr. Sudarshan Santra, in relation to the alleged oversights.

Earlier in the day, a three-member committee tasked with investigating the errors in Odisha's school textbooks submitted its report to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. The committee, led by Development Commissioner Deo Ranjan Kumar Singh, completed its findings within a week.

This committee was formed after a staggering 1,678 errors were identified in textbooks for students in Classes I to VIII for the current academic year, prompting backlash from educators, parents, and opposition parties. Following this, CM Majhi instructed the committee to pinpoint the officials and agencies responsible for the inaccuracies and to report back within a week.

Among the notable errors highlighted are the mischaracterization of Sir Isaac Newton as a 'great pilot' rather than a scientist, the incorrect use of an image of Karnataka’s Vidhan Soudha instead of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, and the misidentification of Hampi’s renowned stone chariot as the Konark Sun Temple. Other inaccuracies pertain to Odisha’s geography, history, and cultural heritage. The Odisha Parents’ Federation has labeled the release of these erroneous textbooks as a significant failure of the education system.