Bhubaneswar, Jan 16: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening Odisha’s education sector, stressing the need for curriculum reform, textbook development, and teacher empowerment under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Pradhan chaired a review meeting in Bhubaneswar on the rollout of new textbooks and curriculum frameworks for Classes I to VIII, emphasizing teacher empowerment and curriculum innovation as pivotal to the NEP 2020.

ଭୁବନେଶ୍ୱର ଠାରେ ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ସ୍କୁଲ ଏବଂ ଗଣ ଶିକ୍ଷା ମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଶ୍ରୀ @NityanandaBJP ଙ୍କ ସହ ଭିଡ଼ିଓ କନଫରେନ୍ସିଂ ଜରିଆରେ ନୂତନ ପାଠ୍ୟପୁସ୍ତକ ଏବଂ ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ସମସ୍ତ ଜିଲ୍ଲାର ମାଷ୍ଟର ଟ୍ରେନରଙ୍କ ସହ ଆଲୋଚନା କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକ୍ରମରେ ଯୋଗଦେଲି । କେନ୍ଦ୍ର ଓ ରାଜ୍ୟର ଶିକ୍ଷା ବିଭାଗର ବରିଷ୍ଠ ଅଧିକାରୀ, ଜିଲ୍ଲା ଶିକ୍ଷା ଅଧିକାରୀ, ବ୍ଲକ ଶିକ୍ଷା… pic.twitter.com/O7paO7hvIq

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) January 16, 2026

In a post on X, Pradhan said he joined a video conference with Odisha’s School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond, senior officials from both the Centre and the state, district education officers, block education officers, representatives of District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs), and master trainers from across Odisha. The meeting focused on the rollout of new textbooks and curriculum frameworks for Classes I to VIII, scheduled to be introduced from the academic year 2026–27.

Pradhan highlighted that the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s NEP-2020 is to empower teachers and enhance their professional growth. He emphasized that Odisha’s curriculum reforms will be aligned with national standards while reflecting local needs, particularly through mother-tongue-based education.

The discussions also covered initiatives such as the “Nipun Odisha” mission to strengthen foundational learning, nutrition-focused interventions for schoolchildren, and the introduction of a 10-day “bag-less” learning experience to encourage experiential education. Pradhan said these measures would not only improve classroom delivery but also contribute to building a “Samruddha Odisha” (Prosperous Odisha) and “Vikashit Odisha” (Developed Odisha) by 2036.

Also Read: Odisha Central to Purvodaya Vision, Says Dharmendra Pradhan

Officials said that the reforms aim to make education more inclusive, skill-oriented, and future-ready. By focusing on teacher training, curriculum evaluation, and innovative pedagogy, the state hopes to create a robust education ecosystem that supports both academic excellence and holistic child development.

Pradhan’s remarks reflect the Centre’s broader push to ensure effective implementation of NEP-2020 across states, with Odisha seen as a key partner in advancing the goals of equity, quality, and innovation in school education.