Odisha Education Minister Nityananda Gond Faces Resignation Calls Over Textbook Errors
State opposition parties Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Indian National Congress have intensified demands that Odisha School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond resign after large‑scale errors were discovered in new textbooks for classes I‑VIII. More than 2,000 factual, translational, geographic and scientific mistakes have been reported, prompting accusations that the printing process was rushed and compromised.
Opposition leaders, including BJD president Naveen Patnaik and Congress state president Bhakta Charan Das, likened the situation to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over a NEET paper‑leak scandal, arguing that Gond should also step down for moral responsibility. Das warned of a statewide bandh and possible gherao of Gond’s residence if the resignation does not occur within seven days.
The BJD has called for a CBI probe, alleging corruption worth about ₹380 crore in the textbook‑printing contract. The ruling BJP has rejected the demand, saying corrective actions are already underway and that officials found responsible will face criminal charges.
Entities: Bhakta Charan Das · Biranchi Narayan Tripathy · Dharmendra Pradhan · Mohan Charan Majhi · Naveen Patnaik · Nityananda Gond · Pradip Kumar Dishari
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned after a NEET‑UG paper‑leak controversy. (c066c4c5-676b-48db-a14c-8850635b50a4, 00182cf9-bfac-4bbf-b026-5162cb9eadbf)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The state BJP said corrective actions have been initiated and those responsible for the textbook mistakes will be charged criminally. (c92e8e96-4168-4b00-b9ee-a576c31a44fd)
- [● 4 SOURCES] BJD and Congress demanded that Odisha Education Minister Nityananda Gond resign over the textbook errors. (c066c4c5-676b-48db-a14c-8850635b50a4, 00182cf9-bfac-4bbf-b026-5162cb9eadbf, 656520f0-d277-4afb-956d-1390d1670033, c92e8e)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty called for a CBI probe into alleged ₹380 crore corruption in the textbook printing contract. (c92e8e96-4168-4b00-b9ee-a576c31a44fd)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] BJD president Naveen Patnaik publicly demanded Nityananda Gond’s resignation. (c066c4c5-676b-48db-a14c-8850635b50a4)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Opposition leaders compared the demand for Gond’s resignation to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over a NEET paper‑leak scandal. (c066c4c5-676b-48db-a14c-8850635b50a4, 00182cf9-bfac-4bbf-b026-5162cb9eadbf, c92e8e96-4168-4b00-b9ee-a576c31a44fd)
- [● 3 SOURCES] More than 2,000 errors were found in the new Odisha textbooks for classes I‑VIII. (a98ec676-78d7-4bbe-a9b5-abd66957a63d, c066c4c5-676b-48db-a14c-8850635b50a4, c92e8e96-4168-4b00-b9ee-a576c31a44fd)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Congress state president Bhakta Charan Das warned of an Odisha bandh if Gond does not resign within seven days. (c066c4c5-676b-48db-a14c-8850635b50a4, 00182cf9-bfac-4bbf-b026-5162cb9eadbf, c92e8e96-4168-4b00-b9ee-a576c31a44fd)