Errors in textbooks: corrigendum to be out by Saturday

A team set up by the Karnataka Textbook Society will look into the errors in the revised state syllabus textbooks and issue a corrigendum by Saturday.

There were several reports in the media and complaints from schools regarding factual and spelling errors in the revised textbooks which were supplied to schools this academic year.

The books had been revised by a Textbook Revision Committee, set up under the chairmanship of academician and writer Prof Baragur Ramachandrappa.

“First we have to understand the extent of the errors in the textbook. Once that is done and we have a list, we will communicate the same to schools and indicate the changes to be made,” said Narasimhaiah, managing director, Karnataka Textbook Society.

Regarding the several printing and binding errors, which resulted in problems such as pages being printed upside down, pages being blank and so on, Narasimhaiah said that such textbooks are being replaced. “We will take action on the printers for these errors, as per the conditions in the tender,” he said.

Prof Ramachandrappa said mistakes in textbooks were common and, earlier corrigendum used to be issued only when complaints were received.

A team of experienced teachers and subject experts are going through the 511 titles, scrutinising them for factual errors and spelling mistakes. The process has already begun and will be completed by Saturday.

Prof Ramachandrappa clarified that the mistake about P V Sindhu’s achievement in the 2016 Rio Olympics has appeared only in the English medium textbook of class X Physical Education. “In the Kannada medium textbook, it correctly says that P V Sindhu secured a silver medal. In the English textbook it says bronze,” he said.