Expert finds errors in Balbharti’s Class 12 geography textbooks

A city-based Geography expert has pointed out several errors in the Class 12 Geography textbooks under the revised syllabus that were released by the state’s publishing

A city-based Geography expert has pointed out several errors in the Class 12 Geography textbooks under the revised syllabus that were released by the state’s publishing bureau Balbharti in April this year.

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Vidyadhar Amrite, an academician and former member of the board of studies of the Maharashtra state board, has alleged that the textbook has several error-ridden marks and diagrams.

“To begin, in many places dot maps have been used to show population and other values. The usage of these maps, however, is wrong. Each dot in a dot map should indicate a single value while it has been used in the text to represent ratios, density of population etc,” said Amrite. For instance, one such dot map on population distribution states that a dot is equivalent to settlements above 200 persons per square kilometre.

In his report sent to Balbharti, Amrite also said that in the world map showing primary activities, agriculture is seen as a prominent activity only in Canada while prominent agricultural regions in India including Maharashtra are not highlighted. Similarly, in a map on regions that produce rice, prominent areas like Java in Indonesia, New Guinea near Australia, Punjab-Sindh in India and Pakistan, and Venezuela in Latin America have not been shown.

A map of Lonar, a town in Buldhana district, has been tagged as Lonar city which, Amrite said, is wrong as it is only a town. As per the Census of India, a place is called a city when its population is one lakh or above. As per the 2011 census, the population of Lonar was 23,416.

“Balbharti needs to understand that all the maps and diagrams that are published in the textbook have some relevance to the text. When scales on the maps are used wrongly or when there is inadequate information with a diagram, it is of no use for the students,” added Amrite.

Vivek Gosavi, director of Balbharti, said, “All our maps and graphs are approved by the survey of India. We are yet to see the objections raised and will look into them. Our subject experts will see the report and will decide on the validity of the same.”