‘Frooti’ & ‘Kurkure’: Branded Products In Odia textbook ‘Pathana Pustika’ To Be Dropped

Bhubaneswar: Amid severe criticism from various quarters, the Odisha government has decided to remove images of branded products used as content of ‘supplementary reading material’ in Odia textbook ‘Pathana Pustika’ for Class III students from this year.

Educationists had questioned how these words aided supplementary reading of Odia at the Class III level and whether these were part of any sponsorship and product promotion.

The Directorate of Teacher Education and SCERT has asked Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA) to remove the page of the supplementary reading material that contains images of branded food products and beverages – ‘Chocolate’, ‘Frooti’, ‘Kurkure’, ‘Biscuit’ and ‘Horlicks’ – written in Odia.

The OSEPA has been asked to instruct the District Education Officers to implement the order. “Necessary immediate steps may be taken in this regard and DEOs may be instructed to ensure that teachers sensitize not to use and demonstrate this page while teaching students,” read the letter.

Sources said SCERT had vetted the content prior to its publication.