TNI Bureau: Addressing a press conference organised by the State Student Congress at Congress Bhavan in Bhubaneswar, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President Bhakta Charan Das alleged that the large number of errors found in Odisha school textbooks was part of a conspiracy to damage the education system and jeopardise the future of students.

Criticising the state government, Bhakta Das said primary education forms the foundation of learning and has produced many distinguished scholars from Odisha. However, he alleged that the BJP governments at the Centre and in the state were imposing their ideology through educational curricula while neglecting Odisha’s intellectual and cultural heritage.

The Congress leader claimed that the government had undermined “Odia Asmita” despite coming to power in its name. He alleged that experts, scholars and educationists were ignored during the preparation of the revised curriculum and said the state’s education system was being adversely affected by poor decision-making.

Questioning the textbook preparation process, Das asked how books that normally require nearly three years of work were prepared within six months. He alleged that around 1,678 errors had been identified in the textbooks and demanded action against those responsible. He also urged the Education Minister to apologise over the issue.

Bhakta cited several alleged mistakes, including incorrect spellings, errors relating to the Dongria Kondh community and references that reportedly placed the famous Niyamgiri movement in Jharkhand instead of Odisha. He criticised the Education Minister’s reported remarks that teachers could correct the mistakes while teaching, calling the response unacceptable.

The PCC president further demanded an investigation into the agency awarded the contract for printing NCERT and Odisha education department textbooks. He sought a probe into the tender process and alleged links between the agency and BJP leaders. According to him, public funds had been wasted due to the government’s negligence.

Alleging that repeated controversies such as the NEET paper leak, CBSE evaluation issues and now textbook errors reflected administrative failure, Das said no minister had accepted responsibility or faced action. He described the publication of error-ridden textbooks as an insult to eminent Odia icons and intellectuals, including Madhusudan Das and Gopabandhu Das.

Demanding accountability, he said Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi should apologise over the matter. Former student leader Yashir Nawaz and student leader Bibhuti Bhusan Mahapatra also warned that the Congress would launch statewide protests if the Education Minister did not resign over what they termed an inexcusable lapse.

Former MLA Santosh Singh Saluja and PCC Media Cell Chairman Arvind Das were among those present at the press conference.