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 the National Education Policy NEP 2020. The meeting focused on the state’s preparedness to introduce newly developed textbooks aligned with the National Curriculum Framework from the 2026 to 27 academic year.

The review meeting was attended by Odisha 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, State Project Director Ananaya Das of OSEPA, Director Manoj Ku Padhy of TE and SCERT, along with other senior officials. Senior NCERT faculty members were also present, while District Education Officers from all 30 districts and principals of DIETs, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas and Eklavya Model Residential Schools joined the meeting virtually.

Odisha is set to roll out 55 newly developed textbooks for Classes I to VIII starting from the 2026 to 27 academic session. These textbooks have been translated and contextualised from NCERT materials to better reflect Odisha’s local culture, heritage and regional needs, marking a major step in the state’s implementation of NEP 2020.

Minister Nityananda Gond highlighted Odisha’s proactive approach, stating that the reforms go beyond curriculum changes and reflect a deeper commitment to children’s future and the overall progress of the state. He informed that Odisha has also introduced three new subject areas including Art Education, Physical Education and Well being, and Vocational Education to support the holistic development of students.

During the interaction, Dharmendra Pradhan reviewed the status of curriculum development and the capacity building of Master Resource Persons across districts. He advised district officials to actively involve students and parents to build awareness and excitement around the new textbooks. The Union Education Minister also proposed a four-point action plan to further strengthen Odisha’s education system. The plan focuses on prioritizing NIPUN Bharat and strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy, promoting mother tongue-based education at least up to Class V, strengthening the PM POSHAN scheme with special emphasis on student nutrition, and expanding the NEP-mandated ten bagless school days per year for students of Classes VI to X as envisioned under NEP 2020.

Additional Secretary Archana Sharma Awasthi подчеркed that the successful rollout of NEP requires collective effort with teachers at the center and expressed confidence in the Master Resource Persons to effectively train educators across the state.

Along with translating and contextualizing all 55 new textbooks, the State Council of Educational Research and Training SCERT has already trained 1,000 Master Resource Persons in four batches across four zones of Odisha. These trainers will now prepare more than 1.66 lakh primary teachers from the School and Mass Education Department and the ST and SC Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare Department at the district level to ensure smooth and effective implementation.

With major curriculum reforms, extensive teacher training, and a clear four-point roadmap, Odisha is positioning itself as a leading state in the effective implementation of National Education Policy 2020.