Odisha Chief Minister Orders Criminal Probe into School Textbook Errors

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi of Odisha directed the state Crime Branch to launch a criminal investigation into the preparation, approval and publication of school textbooks for classes I‑VIII after hundreds of factual, typographical and printing errors were discovered in the newly released editions prepared by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) for the 2026‑27 academic session.

The investigation, registered as case No. 08/2026 under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, is being led by DSP Narendra Kumar Behera, CID‑CB, with multiple teams examining every stage of the textbook production process. Earlier, the former SCERT director Manoj Padhi and three assistant directors were suspended, and disciplinary proceedings were opened against six additional officials.

The Odisha government pledged to supply revised, error‑free textbooks promptly and uploaded the corrected drafts for classes I‑IV on its website, inviting teachers, parents and the public to review and comment within seven days.