Odisha Textbook Error Row: BJD’s Prasanna Acharya Seeks High-Level Probe, Calls It a ‘Conspiracy’

Bhubaneswar, June 27: Deputy Leader of the Opposition and senior BJD MLA Prasanna Acharya on Saturday demanded a high-level investigation into the large-scale errors found in Odisha school textbooks, saying the alleged lapses amounted to a “crime” and those responsible must be identified.

His demand comes a day after Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi described the over 1,600 errors detected in newly introduced school textbooks as a “possible conspiracy.”

‘Administrative Probe Not Enough’

Addressing reporters, Acharya said an administrative inquiry alone would not be sufficient to uncover the truth behind the widespread mistakes.

“This is a serious crime. The Chief Minister himself has expressed suspicion of a possible conspiracy. Therefore, a high-level probe is necessary to identify those responsible and bring the conspirators to light,” he said.

CM Suspended Senior SCERT Officials

On Friday, the Chief Minister ordered the suspension of former Director of Teacher Education and State Council of Educational Research and Training (TE&SCERT), Manoj Padhi, along with three Assistant Directors, over the massive errors found in government school textbooks.

The action followed the findings of an inquiry committee headed by Development Commissioner D.K. Singh, which examined the lapses in the preparation and publication of the textbooks.

The state government has also initiated disciplinary proceedings against six other Assistant Directors.

1,678 Errors Found in 55 Textbooks

The committee found 1,678 errors across 55 SCERT textbooks prepared for students of Classes I to VIII. The mistakes include factual inaccuracies, grammatical errors, spelling mistakes and incorrect references.

Some of the most glaring errors drew widespread criticism. A Class 8 Social Science textbook reportedly identified Odisha’s Niyamgiri Hills as being located in Jharkhand, while the Karnataka Legislative Assembly building was incorrectly labelled as the Odisha Vidhan Sabha.

In another Class 8 Science textbook, Sir Isaac Newton was described as the “greatest pilot,” while a separate textbook reportedly identified Hampi in Karnataka as the Konark Sun Temple.

The textbook controversy has triggered a political storm in Odisha, with the Opposition demanding accountability and a comprehensive investigation into how such large-scale errors went unnoticed before publication.