Odisha govt assures error-free school textbooks, revised editions soon

Bhubaneswar, July 1 (IANS) Odisha School and Mass Education (S&ME) Department on Wednesday said prompt action has been taken to address errors detected in newly introduced school textbooks for Classes I to VIII, assuring that the corrected, error-free editions will be provided to students at the earliest.

Speaking to media persons, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the S&ME department, N. Thirumala Naik, said that new textbooks introduced for the current academic year had received feedback from the public regarding certain errors.

Taking these issues seriously, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi ordered the setting up of a committee to address the errors, find out the officials responsible for the lapse and suggest recommendations to ensure such mistakes do not occur in future.

Acting on the directions of Chief Minister Majhi, the state government constituted a committee led by the Development Commissioner to examine the issues. Based on the committee’s report, responsibility has been fixed on the officials concerned, and appropriate action has been initiated, he said.

Naik informed that students from Classes I to VIII have already received their textbooks. Since the books are already in circulation, the department has finalised all necessary corrections and will immediately provide correction sheets to teachers so that classroom teaching continues without disruption until revised textbooks are printed and distributed.

He said the department is also conducting a detailed review of the textbooks with subject experts to identify any remaining errors. Corrected portions will be uploaded on the department’s official website, allowing teachers, educationists, and the general public to review them and submit further suggestions. After incorporating all valid feedback, the government will publish completely error-free textbooks and distribute them to students as early as possible, Naik said.

Responding to the controversy over the inclusion of the popular Hindi song “Nimbuda Nimbuda” in an Odisha school textbook, Naik clarified that the lesson is about music and aims to explain how traditional folk songs from different regions are adapted and popularised by contemporary musicians, particularly in Bollywood.

He said the chapter presents examples of folk songs from different parts of the country to promote cross-cultural learning and to illustrate how regional folk traditions gain wider recognition through modern adaptations.

The reference to “Nimbuda Nimbuda” should therefore be viewed in the context of music education and not interpreted differently, he added.

–IANS

grm/dan