The Odisha government has raised an official objection with the Jharkhand government over the publication of the Odia language syllabus for the Jharkhand Teacher Eligibility Test (JHTET) 2026. The issue concerns the use of the Devanagari script instead of the traditional Odia script for the Odia subject syllabus.
According to verified reports, the School and Mass Education department of Odisha sent a formal letter to Jharkhand's Department of School Education and Literacy on April 16, 2026. The letter highlighted that the syllabus, as published on Jharkhand's official academic website, was not in the authentic Odia script, which is crucial for maintaining the language's integrity and for candidates preparing for the exam.
The Odisha government has requested Jharkhand to promptly withdraw the current version and republish the correct syllabus in the Odia script. The JHTET is a crucial qualifying exam for teacher appointments in Jharkhand, and the inclusion of Odia recognizes the significant Odia-speaking population within the state.
This development underscores ongoing linguistic sensitivities in India's multilingual states. As of April 17, 2026, there has been no public response from the Jharkhand government regarding Odisha's request.
