Odisha CM Cracks Down on Textbook Errors, Top SCERT Officials Suspended

Odisha's Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has taken decisive action against officials due to errors in textbooks for grades One to Eight.

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odisha cm cracks down on textbook errors, top scert officials suspended

In a major move to protect the quality of school education, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has taken strict action against officials responsible for errors found in government school textbooks for classes One to Eight. The action follows the submission of a detailed report by a committee headed by Development Commissioner Deoranjan Kumar Singh, which investigated the mistakes detected in recently published textbooks.Based on the committee's recommendations, Chief Minister Majhi has suspended former Director of Teachers' Training and SCERT, Manoj Padhy, along with three Assistant Directors -- Pralipta Mishra, Dilip Kumar Sahu, and Bharati Tudu.In addition, disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against six other Assistant Directors,

including Bandita Pattnaik, Manas Ranjan Raut, Manoranjan Mohapatra, Dr. Prashant Kumar Sahu, Manas Kumar Nayak, and Dr. Sudarshan Santra.

Serious Lapses Found

According to the committee's findings, serious lapses were identified in the preparation, review, and approval of textbooks. The government has decided to implement 14 corrective measures to prevent such mistakes from occurring in the future.

Among the key reforms, SCERT will maintain a Master Errata Register to record all corrections, and revised information will be provided to students. A dedicated Quality Assurance Cell will also be established within SCERT to verify language, illustrations, factual accuracy, and printing quality before books are sent for publication.The government has made it clear that no textbook will be printed in the future without undergoing mandatory approval and quality checks at every stage.Officials say these measures are aimed at restoring public confidence in the education system and ensuring that children receive accurate, reliable, and high-quality learning materials.The Odisha government has reiterated that students' education remains a top priority and that accountability will be enforced wherever negligence is found.