BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government has taken serious exception to the use of Devanagari script for the Odia syllabus in Jharkhand Teacher Eligibility Test (JHTET) 2026, urging the government to republish it in Odia script.
In a letter to the Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC), secretary of Odia Language, Literature and Culture department Rashmita Panda said that Odia language, having its own distinct scripts, should be used for the entrance’s Odia syllabus. “When syllabus of Bengali language is written in Bengali script, writing the syllabus of Odia language in Devanagari script instead of Odia is highly regretful,” she said. She stated that Odia language is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India as mentioned in Eighth schedule of the Constitution of India and is also one of the 11 recognised classical languages of the country.
She said Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi received a representation regarding publication of Odia syllabus of JHTET 2026 in Devanagari script. On checking JAC’s website, it was found to be true.
“You are earnestly requested to republish the syllabus of Odia language in Odia script,” she wrote. Panda said the representation received by the state government also included some other important requests and urged the JAC to consider them as well for appropriate decision to treat Odia language on par with other scheduled languages of India.
The memorandum, submitted by Nandu Kumar Pandey of Saraikela-Kharsawan and others, stated that publication of the Odia syllabus in Devanagari script has caused extreme distress to Odia speaking linguistic minority candidates of Jharkhand preparing for the JHTET. They said the Odia language has its own distinct script, alphabet and grammar, which are different from other languages.
Besides, Odia has been accorded the status of second official language in Jharkhand. “In such a situation, publication of Odia syllabus for Classes I to V and VI to VIII under JHTET notification in Devanagari script has raised serious concerns and is also a clear disrespect to Odia language and its script,” the representation stated.
“There has also been a lack of adequate arrangements for Odia language education in Jharkhand,” the memorandum further stated.
