Students to Study in Mother Tongue up to Class V

Bhubaneswar, Jan, 22:  Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan today reviewed reforms in the school-level education curriculum and textbook development. He stated that from the 2026–27 academic year, new textbooks will be introduced for Classes I to VIII. These textbooks will be based on the Odisha State Curriculum Framework.
To ensure effective implementation of the new curriculum, about 1.67 lakh teachers across the state will be provided training. The Minister emphasized the need to continuously enhance teachers’ professional development by leveraging modern technology.

Education in the mother tongue will be strengthened up to Class V, which will help build a strong foundation of basic learning among children. For students of Classes VI to X, a 10-day bag-free learning programme will be introduced. Special attention will also be given to nutrition and health of children from birth up to Class XII.

Through the implementation of the New Education Policy, a revolutionary transformation in Odisha’s education sector is expected, and the government remains committed to building a “Developed Odisha,” Mr. Pradhan said.

School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond, who was present at the review meeting, said that under the National Education Policy 2020, 55 new NCERT textbooks have been translated and contextualized. In addition, to promote the holistic development of students, Odisha has introduced three new subject areas in school education—Art Education, Physical Education and Wellness, and Vocational Education.
He further stated that the ongoing reforms in the education sector are not limited merely to changes in curriculum or textbooks, but represent a collective commitment towards shaping the future of children and the overall progress of Odisha.

Among those present were Archana Sharma Awasthi, Additional Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Government of India; N. Tirumala Nayak, Secretary, School and Mass Education Department; Ananya Das, State Project Director, OSEPA; Manoj Kumar Padhi, Director, Directorate of Teacher Education and SCERT; Balamukund Bhuyan, Director of Elementary Education; and Ranjan Arora, Senior Professor, NCERT.
District Education Officers from all 30 districts, along with representatives from DIETs, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas, and Eklavya Model Residential Schools, participated in the meeting through virtual mode.