The revelation that Rs 21 crore was spent on printing school textbooks through private presses has opened a new controversy. With thousands of errors detected in textbooks already distributed to students, the government must disclose who these private printing presses are. Were they based in Odisha or outside the state and the criteria to select them?

Most importantly, do any of these firms have links to influential political leaders? Transparency is essential. Before fixing responsibility for textbook blunders, the government must make public the names of all private agencies involved and the contracts awarded to them to restore public trust.