Bhubaneswar: The state govt has raised objections to the use of Devanagari script for the Odia syllabus meant for the Jharkhand Teacher Eligibility Test (JHTET) 2026.In a letter addressed to the Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC), the Odisha language, literature and culture department on Thursday pointed out that the Odia syllabus for JHTET was published in Devanagari instead of the native Odia script.Commissioner-cum-secretary Rashmita Panda, in her communication, emphasised that Odia is a classical language with its own distinct script and is among the 22 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. “The use of an incorrect script, she stated, “undermines the linguistic identity and cultural significance of the language.”The letter further highlighted that while languages like Bengali are presented in their native scripts in the examinations, representing Odia in Devanagari is inappropriate and unacceptable.The state govt has urged JAC to immediately republish the syllabus in the Odia script and ensure that the language is treated on par with other Indian languages in competitive exams. Additionally, it has called for necessary steps to uphold the dignity of the Odia language and safeguard its proper representation in academic and recruitment processes.
