Textbook Errors Strike at the Very Foundation of Our Children’s Future: Naveen

Bhubaneswar: BJD President and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Odisha Government over its handling of error-ridden school textbooks, accusing it of betraying the trust of lakhs of students through what he described as a “flip-flop” approach to the controversy.

In a post on X, LoP Naveen said that the school textbooks are far more than educational material, calling them the “first source of truth” for children and warning that mistakes in them could have long-term consequences.

“School textbooks are not just books. For every child, they are the first source of truth. A child may question many things, but never the words printed in a school textbook. Those words are an article of absolute faith and trust. Through textbooks, an entire generation learns not only facts but also builds faith in the system and trust in society,” Naveen wrote.

Expressing concern over the government’s response, the BJD President alleged that the BJP-led administration had failed to uphold this trust.

“When that trust is compromised, the damage goes far beyond a printing error. It strikes at the very foundation of our children’s future. The callous handling of school textbooks by the #Odisha BJP Government has betrayed that sacred trust. The victims are lakhs of students who are the future generation of Odisha- the torch bearers of tomorrow. By printing error‑ridden textbooks and then flip‑flopping on their withdrawal, we are shaking the very foundation of our children’s tomorrow,” he said.

Naveen further questioned who would take responsibility for the long-term impact of the controversy.

“A government may correct a textbook in the next edition. But who will take responsibility for the cost of shattering the faith of an entire generation of Odia children? Who will answer for the wound inflicted on their trust, a wound that no revision can heal? ” he asked.

Naveen’s remarks came amid a major controversy surrounding several newly introduced school textbooks for the 2026-27 academic session, which were found to contain hundreds of factual, grammatical and printing errors. Following widespread criticism, the Odisha Government ordered an inquiry into the lapses and directed officials to fix accountability for those responsible. The issue has triggered a political row, with the Opposition accusing the government of negligence in the preparation and publication of school textbooks.