Historical, cartographic inaccuracies in Class IV textbook spark outrage

INACCURACIES in the social studies textbook prescribed to fourth graders and the initial digital draft of the teachers' handbook under the Kerala syllabus have sparked outrage among educators, who warn that they risk distorting children's understanding of India's history and freedom struggle.

- LAKSHMI ATHIRA @Kalpetta

Chapter 2, titled India Ente Rajyam (India My Nation), of the textbook, is littered with errors. An activity suggests that Sarojini Naidu was the first woman president of the Indian National Congress (INC). In reality, it was Annie Besant. Sarojini was in fact the first Indian woman to preside over an INC session.

Similarly, the book says that Subhash Chandra Bose formed the Indian National Army, though historical records show it was first launched in 1942 by Captain Mohan Singh with support from Rash Behari Bose's Indian Independence League.

The errors extend to maps as well. In one activity, a map of India fails to mention Assam and Jharkhand, yet students are asked to name the states by observing it.