Crime Branch Seriously after OSEPA Official in Odisha Textbook Error Probe
Bureau,Odishabarta
“We have seized all the documents related to production and printing and recorded the statements of the concerned staff. The details of the documents cannot be disclosed at this stage,” he said.
Bhubaneswar;The Crime Branch on Friday stepped up its probe into errors found in Odisha government school textbooks by conducting a search and inquiry at the Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA) headquarters in Bhubaneswar.
A five-member Crime Branch team, led by DSP Narendra Behera, visited the OSEPA office and questioned Deputy Director Itishree Nayak over the preparation, review and publication of the textbooks. Investigators sought details on the processes followed before the books were cleared for printing and distribution.
The team is examining the role of officials involved in the textbook preparation process and whether proper review mechanisms were followed before publication. The visit forms part of the agency’s wider investigation aimed at fixing accountability for the large-scale textbook errors.
The latest development comes days after the Crime Branch arrested former SCERT Director Manoj Padhi in connection with alleged irregularities in the preparation and publication of government school textbooks.
Padhi was taken into custody after investigators intensified the probe into the textbook controversy and questioned him on multiple aspects of the textbook preparation and approval process.
The Crime Branch is expected to continue its investigation and examine more officials as it gathers evidence in the case.
OTPM Director Attributes Errors to Tight Production Timeline
OTPM Director Sambit Kumar Nayak acknowledged that mista.es may have occurred due to the limited time available to produce the revised textbooks.
He said the books were developed in accordance with the National Council o
f Educational Research and Training (NCERT) guidelines, but the compressed timeline affected the production process…
According to Nayak, nearly 52% of the textbooks had been delivered before April 1, and the discrepancies came to light only after the books reached schools.
He further explained that OTPM’s responsibility was limited to printing the textbooks using the hard and soft copies supplied by OSEPA.
“If the revised textbooks had been introduced from the next academic session instead of the current one, there would have been sufficient time for quality checks and such procedural errors could have been avoided,” Nayak said.
He also described the textbook preparation process, stating that multiple experts work together on individual textbooks before the final manuscripts are sent for printing.
Crime Branch Examines Printing and Distribution ProcessInvestigators also questioned OSEPA officials regarding the number of textbooks printed for Classes I to VIII, subject-wise distribution, and payments made for printing.
The Crime Branch is examining whether established procedures were followed during the preparation, review, approval, and printing of the textbooks. The investigation aims to identify the source of the errors and determine accountability among the officials involved.
The probe comes amid growing concerns over mistakes found in government school textbooks, with the Crime Branch already expanding its investigation into the preparation and publication process
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