Key Facts
Former director of Odisha's State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Manoj Kumar Padhy, was arrested on Tuesday in connection with widespread errors found in school textbooks for Classes 1 to 8. He was produced before the JMFC-III court in Cuttack, which sent him to 14-day judicial custody.
Details of the Case
Padhy, a senior Odisha Administrative Service officer, had been suspended earlier following a high-level inquiry committee report headed by Development Commissioner D K Singh. The errors in textbooks supplied to state-run schools caused an estimated loss of ₹175 crore to the exchequer, according to police.
The CID-Crime Branch registered a case after Madhusmita Sahoo, director of teacher education and SCERT, lodged a complaint. During questioning, Padhy was arrested after four hours of interrogation. Government pleader Nityananda Panda confirmed that the state government strongly opposed Padhy's bail petition, citing prima facie evidence against him.
However, Padhy's lawyer Subhasish Mishra claimed his client was innocent and had been made a 'scapegoat' in the matter.
Impact and Reactions
The textbook errors came to light when teachers discovered over 1,600 mistakes, including a reference describing scientist Isaac Newton as a pilot. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had constituted a high-level committee after widespread criticism. The CID-Crime Branch formed multiple teams to investigate various aspects of the case.
Opposition parties BJD and Congress questioned the delay in initiating a crime branch inquiry, with BJD youth wing president Chinmay Sahoo alleging that the delay was meant to destroy evidence and demanding a CBI probe.
What Readers Should Know
- Padhy, as SCERT director, was responsible for overall supervision and approval of textbook development under NEP-2020.
- He allegedly failed to verify factual, scientific, geographical, translation, and pictorial content, leading to criminal negligence.
- The case highlights systemic lapses in textbook production for state-run schools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Manoj Padhy arrested?
Manoj Padhy, former director of Odisha SCERT, was arrested for criminal negligence in approving textbooks with over 1,600 errors, causing a ₹175 crore loss.
What errors were found in the textbooks?
Errors included factual, scientific, geographical, translation, and pictorial mistakes, such as describing Isaac Newton as a pilot.
Who else was suspended in the case?
Three assistant directors of SCERT were also suspended based on findings of a high-level inquiry committee.
What is the current status of the case?
Padhy was sent to 14-day judicial custody after arrest; the state government opposed bail citing prima facie evidence.