Bhubaneswar: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan chaired a high-level review meeting in Bhubaneswar on Friday to assess Odisha’s progress in curriculum reform and textbook development under National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The discussions centered on the state’s preparedness for introducing new textbooks aligned with the national curriculum framework.
The meeting was attended by state School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond, Additional Secretary Archana Sharma Awasthi from the Department of School Education and Literacy (Government of India), Commissioner-cum-Secretary Dr N Tirumala Naik, SPD Ananaya Das of OSEPA, Director Manoj Ku Padhy of TE&SCERT, and other senior officials. Senior NCERT faculty members also participated, while District Education Officers from all 30 districts, along with principals of DIETs, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas, and Eklavya Model Residential Schools, joined virtually.
Odisha is set to introduce 55 newly-developed textbooks for Classes I to VIII starting from the 2026–27 academic year. These textbooks have been translated and contextualised from NCERT materials to incorporate local culture, heritage, and needs.
Minister Gond highlighted Odisha’s proactive stance, noting that the reforms extend beyond curriculum updates to reflect a shared commitment to children’s future and the state’s progress. He further informed that Odisha has introduced three new subject areas – Art Education, Physical Education & Well-being, and Vocational Education – to promote holistic development of students.
During the interaction, the Union Education Minister reviewed the progress of curriculum development and capacity building of Master Resource Persons across districts. He also advised district officials to actively engage students and parents to create awareness and enthusiasm about the new textbooks. Dharmendra also proposed a four-point action plan to bolster the state’s education system:
>> Prioritize NIPUN Bharat and strengthen Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN).
>> Promote mother-tongue-based education at least up to Class V.
>> Further strengthen the PM-POSHAN scheme with emphasis on student nutrition.
>> Expand the NEP-mandated 10 bagless school days per year for students in Classes VI to X as envisaged in NEP 2020.
Additional Secretary Awasthi emphasized that successful NEP rollout is a collective effort, with teachers at the forefront, expressing confidence in the Master Resource Persons’ ability to train educators statewide.
Besides translation and contextualisation of all 55 new textbooks, the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has trained 1,000 Master Resource Persons in four batches across four zones of the state for its smooth implementation. These trainers will now equip over 1.66 lakh primary teachers from the School and Mass Education Department and the ST&SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Department at the district level.
