Textbook errors have SSC students in a bind

The new Class 10 syllabus introduced this year springs more surprises than anyone bargained for. Kareena N Gianani reports

MUMBAI: A bhijit Aikara, who is just three months away from his SSC exams, is livid every time he opens his geography textbook. Page 53 says Orissa has high density of roads. But the map alongside shows just the opposite: that the state has India’s lowest density of roads. So what’s right and what’s wrong?

When the Maharashtra State Board introduced a new syllabus this year, Aikara, like all SSC students, were understandably nervous about what to expect. But they hadn’t bargained for blatant factual errors in not just their geography textbook but even in the Marathi, science, algebra and English ones too.
 
Aikara speaks for his entire class at St Francis High School, Borivli, when he says, “Other schools have received circulars from the Maharashtra State Board making the necessary corrections — but ours hasn’t. What are we supposed to do?”

A teacher with a suburban school, who did not want to be named, says, “From plain factual errors to the most basic spelling mistakes, the SSC textbooks are littered with bloopers. How could a new syllabus be introduced without any proper checking?”
 
Mr Gawde, an evaluation officer with the board, said, “We are aware of the errors in the textbooks and frequently distribute circulars to schools to have them corrected.” But as the suburban school teacher points out, “Most circulars are in Marathi which makes it difficult for those who do not know the language.”

According to Prasad Kulkarni, principal of Laxmibai English Medium School, Mulund, the Board trains teachers for the new syllabus, but it faces a manpower crunch and most teachers are left to deal with the errors themselves.

“Chapters like Income Tax can only be taught by professionals. Despite roping in one, the book is full of errors,” says Brijesh Karia, who teaches algebra at Mahesh Tutorials.

Rajeshwari Nair, who teaches biology and chemistry at a Ghatkopar school, is worried about the schools that don’t know these errors exist. “Not all teachers access the Internet to cross-check every fact or refer to medical dictionaries,” she says.

Some students who spotted the errors were afraid to correct them since their school apparently reprimanded them for not sticking to the textbooks. “I actually scored marks for incorrect answers in the prelims. But what do I do in the final board exams?” asks a student.

Shankaran Naidu, a physics teacher at a private tutorial, says, “Though it’s a relief to know that these errors have come to light, I hope the students are not too confused.”

g_kareena@dnaindia.net