‘Appointments to board should be transparent’

The series of glaring errors in the Class 10 state board textbooks have appalled academicians in the city, who said the board needs to become more scrupulous while appointing members to the board of studies. Puja Pednekar reports.

The series of glaring errors in the Class 10 state board textbooks have appalled academicians in the city, who said the board needs to become more scrupulous while appointing members to the board of studies.

HT Image

A senior teacher from Thane, Ravi D, said, “It’s inexcusable that such an error [the incorrect marking of Arunachal Pradesh in the world map] was overlooked by the board of studies of two subjects. The state board cannot claim that it is an isolated incident anymore.”

Experts stressed the need for transparency in the appointments to the board of studies. The board comprises expert committees that look at the subject’s syllabus and final prints of the text, maps, graphics of the books.

“Many appointments to this board are based on the connections of the candidate and not merit,’’ said Basanti Roy, former secretary of the state board, Mumbai division. “Some appointed members are attracted to lucrative avenues open to them after becoming members.”

These ‘lucrative avenues’ could include tie-ups with private publishers to provide textbook material before it hits the markets or writing guides, he said.

Others said the board members need to put in more hours of scrutiny. “The board of studies starts working on new textbook a year before they are released. In such a short time, mistakes are bound to creep in,’’ said Anil Bornare, teacher, Swami Muktanand High School and city chief of the Maharashtra State Teachers Association.