Newton As A Pilot? Over 1,600 Errors Uncovered In Odisha’s New School Textbooks

Odisha’s new Odia-medium textbooks for Classes I to VIII are under scrutiny after the school and mass education department identified 1,678 grammatical, factual and contextual errors in books prepared under the National Education Policy 2020 framework. The mistakes range from spelling slips to inaccuracies in science, geography, history and image captions, according to a report in The Times of India.

The textbooks were prepared for government schools by the Directorate of Teacher Education and the State Council of Educational Research and Training, with inputs from teachers and academic experts. The large number of corrections has triggered questions over the review process, especially since these books are meant for young learners building basic knowledge in their mother tongue.

What went wrong in Odisha textbooks

Among the errors flagged by teachers and officials is a reference to Sir Isaac Newton as a “great pilot” instead of a scientist. Another passage linked to Newton reportedly says he boiled “water” instead of eggs, though the intended anecdote was about him mistakenly boiling his watch while absorbed in work.

Several image-based errors have also come to light. A photograph of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly was reportedly used as the Odisha Legislative Assembly. In another instance, an image of the Hampi temple complex was presented as the Konark Sun Temple, one of Odisha’s best-known heritage sites.

Geographical mistakes have added to the concern. Humma salt pans were shown as being located in “Berhampur district”, though Humma is in Ganjam district. Niyamgiri, a mountain range closely associated with Odisha’s geography and tribal communities, was identified as being in Jharkhand.

Officials have also found errors in subject terminology and basic concepts. Wheat was written as paddy, glass as cup, temperature as pressure, food web as food cycle and equinox as equator. According to the department’s internal compilation, such errors are spread across subjects and classes.

Errors found beyond Odia books

Although the controversy centres on Odia textbooks, mistakes have reportedly been found in Hindi, Sanskrit, English and Urdu books as well. The errors include incorrect spellings of place names and historical personalities, apart from mistakes in mathematics, science and geography lessons.

The department said the books were delayed because of printing-related issues and reached schools only recently. Teachers who reviewed the copies after distribution began reporting mistakes. Their feedback helped the department prepare a list of corrections for use during the academic session.

School and mass education minister Nityananda Gond told the English daily that the present government implemented NEP 2020 after coming to power. He said the department prepared 55 new Odia-medium textbooks for Classes I to VIII for the 2026-27 academic session, based on National Council of Educational Research and Training books.

Gond said a steering committee had been formed to oversee the implementation of the new education policy. Based on its recommendations, SCERT prepared the textbooks. He said the books had to be prepared within a short period, which may have led to printing and editing errors.

“We have identified the mistakes and the process to rectify them is underway,” the minister said. Senior officials have said all detected errors have been compiled and a corrigendum has been issued to schools so that students are not affected during teaching.

Why textbook errors matter for younger students

Textbook mistakes in early classes can have a bigger impact than ordinary printing errors. Children in Classes I to VIII often treat textbooks as the most reliable source of information. If a wrong image, place name or scientific term is repeated in class, it can become difficult to correct later.

For teachers, such errors create an immediate classroom problem. They must identify the mistake, explain the correction and ensure students do not copy the wrong information into notebooks or examinations. In government schools, where textbooks play a central role, accuracy is especially important.

The issue also comes at a sensitive time because Odisha is aligning school education with NEP 2020. The policy places emphasis on foundational learning, regional languages and conceptual clarity. New books prepared under this framework are expected to support classroom reform, not create confusion.

Textbook preparation is usually a multi-stage process involving drafting, expert review, language editing, fact-checking, design checking and proof correction before printing. When books cover several subjects and languages, coordination becomes more complex. However, factual verification and final proofing remain essential before distribution.

The government’s decision to issue a corrigendum may help schools manage immediate classroom use. But a corrigendum is only a temporary correction tool. Students and parents may not always see it, and younger children may continue using printed pages without understanding which portions have been corrected.

The episode is likely to intensify demands for a stronger pre-publication review system. Education experts often argue that school textbooks should be vetted by subject specialists, language editors and practising teachers before final printing. Image selection and captions also require independent verification, particularly in social science and environmental studies books.

For now, the department’s immediate task is to ensure that every school receives the correction list and teachers are briefed clearly. The larger challenge is to restore confidence in the new textbooks before they become the main learning material for children across Odisha’s government school system.