Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan proposes a four-point action plan to strengthen Odisha’s education system under NEP 2020
OdishaPlus Bureau
On Friday, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan took part in a high-level review meeting focused on curriculum reform and textbook development in Odisha, where he proposed a four-point action plan aimed at enhancing the education system within the State.
The meeting concentrated on the execution of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and assessed the state’s readiness to introduce new textbooks that align with the national curriculum framework.
During the discussion, the Union Education Minister put forward four significant recommendations to fortify the education system in the State.
“I would like to encourage stakeholders to concentrate on four points – prioritize NIPUN Bharat and enhance Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN); advocate for mother-tongue-based education at least until Class V; further reinforce the PM-POSHAN scheme with a focus on student nutrition; and broaden the implementation of 10 bagless school days per year for students in Classes VI to X as outlined in NEP 2020,” stated Pradhan.
The meeting was attended by School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond, Archana Sharma Awasthi, Additional Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy, Government of India, Dr. N. Tirumala Naik, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the School and Mass Education Department, Ananaya Das, SPD of OSEPA, Manoj Ku Padhy, Director of TE&SCERT, Balmukund Bhuyan, Director of Elementary Education, along with senior faculty members from NCERT and other high-ranking officials.
District Education Officers from all 30 districts, as well as principals from DIETs, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas, and Eklavya Model Residential Schools, participated in the meeting virtually.
State School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond remarked that Odisha has introduced three new subject areas – Art Education, Physical Education & Well-being, and Vocational Education, to foster the holistic development of students.
The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has finalized the translation and contextualization of all 55 new textbooks, which are set to be implemented in all schools starting from the academic year 2026-27. In order to facilitate a smooth rollout, 1,000 Master Resource Persons have been trained in four batches across four zones of the state. These Master Resource Persons will subsequently provide training to over 1.66 lakh primary teachers from the School and Mass Education Department, as well as the ST&SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Department at the district level. During the meeting, it was disclosed that in accordance with NEP 2020, Odisha is in the process of developing new textbooks and intends to introduce 55 newly created textbooks for Classes I to VIII beginning in the academic year 2026–27. These textbooks have been translated and contextualized from NCERT materials to better align with Odisha’s local needs, culture, and heritage.