BHUBANESWAR: As many as 1,741 errors have been detected in the new school textbooks distributed to the students of Class I to VIII in the 2026-27 academic year, School and Mass Education minister Nityananda Gond informed the Assembly on Friday.
The figures shared by the minister is higher than the 1,678 errors listed by the State Council Of Educational Research and Training (SCERT).
Gond, who shared the details in writing in response to the questions of MLAs Goutam Buddha Das, Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, Pradip Kumar Dishari, Pramila Mallik, Ananta Narayan Jena, Pabitra Saunta, Tusharkanti Behera and a few others, informed the House that factual, conceptual, grammatical, typographical and spelling errors were detected in the textbooks during scrutiny.
The highest 707 mistakes and inaccuracies were detected in Class VIII books, with the most at 294 in science subject.
Gond said prior to the final approval by the core committee, the process followed to prepare and develop the textbooks, their review and proof reading were carried out in workshop mode, which was then reviewed again by subject expert for one day.
Corrigendum against the errors including the photograph of Odisha Legislative Assembly, location of Niyamgiri hills and identification of Konark Sun Temple has been sent to schools for reference of the teachers and students, while distribution of books, incorporating all necessary corrections, is also in progress.
He said around Rs 175 crore had been spent for printing of the new books. Following detection of errors, the state government has already initiated necessary action, placing the then director and three assistant directors of Directorate of TE and SCERT under suspension and initiating disciplinary proceeding against six other SCERT assistant directors. The CB-CID is also investing the matter, the SME minister said.
